Oral Answers to Questions

Mark Ferguson Excerpts

Wednesday 16th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Ayoub Khan—not here.

[Mark Ferguson (Gateshead Central and Whickham) (Lab)]

5. What steps he is taking to help improve domestic research and development capabilities.

[The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Peter Kyle)]

The UK’s R&D system is a central strength and vital for the future prosperity and wellbeing of our citizens. We are recognised for the strengths of our universities system and research base, and we are investing through UK Research and Innovation to continuously improve our R&D capabilities. In July we launched five new quantum technology hubs, which are delivered by UKRI and backed by over £100 million-worth of Government funding. This will ensure that the British people benefit from the potential of quantum technologies in a range of areas, from healthcare and computing to national security and critical infra- structure alike.

[Mark Ferguson]

Turbo Power Systems in my constituency is a great example of a global company built on research and development but with proud local roots. Would the Secretary of State be happy to visit it, as I have, to see its fantastic work?

[Peter Kyle]

Of course, I look forward to visiting Turbo Power Systems the next time I am in the region and seeing the amazing work it does. It is contributing to one of the key missions of this Government, which is to get to clean superpower status by 2030, and I look forward to seeing what it is doing to make that a reality.