Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has to expand the Bristol and Bath Science Park.

The Bristol and Bath Science Park provides a world-class environment for innovative businesses to locate and grow their operations. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) continues to work closely with the Homes and Communities Agency, the private sector development partners and local partners to ensure that the existing site is developed to its full potential.

The Homes and Communities Agency manages the development on behalf of BIS. The Department is the beneficial owner of the site and the Homes and Communities Agency holds the freehold rights.

A Local Steering Group has been established to steer the development, which includes representatives from the private sector development partners, the local universities (Bath, Bristol, and the University of the West of England), South Gloucestershire Council, West of England Local Enterprise Partnership, the National Composites Centre which is situated on the Science Park and is part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, Invest Bristol & Bath, the Homes & Communities Agency and BIS.