Scientists: Redundancy
(asked on 26th January 2026) - View Source
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate he has made of the number of UK-trained scientists who have left the UK workforce following redundancies in the pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors over the past 15 years.
Answered by
Kanishka Narayan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Government has not made an estimate of the number of UK-trained scientists who have left the workforce following redundancies in these sectors over the past 15-years. Over that period there have been both redundancies and the start of many new companies.
Life Sciences is a vibrant and growing sector supported by the recently published Life Sciences Sector Plan and over £2 billion of government investment. Skills England estimate that employment could increase by up to 100,000 by 2030 if past growth trends continue.
The Office for Life Sciences is working with Government colleagues and sector stakeholders to ensure access to a domestic pipeline of skilled workers. This includes support for RESILIENCE, the UK Medicines Manufacturing Skills Centre of Excellence.