Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department is giving to research-intensive universities.

The government recognises the vital role that universities play in supporting the UK’s world‑leading research base and delivering the Industrial Strategy, and is therefore investing a record £86 billion in research and development between 2026/27 and 2029/30, the largest ever investment made by any UK Government, to help fund the vital research our universities lead the world in.

Additionally, the government provides funding through the Strategic Priorities Grant (SPG) annually to support teaching and students in higher education (HE). The total recurrent (programme) SPG funding allocation for the current 2025/26 academic year is £1.3 billion. Research-intensive universities that are on the approved Office of Students (fee cap) register will benefit from all SPG funding streams for which they are eligible.

The government also provides over £11.1 billion in subsidised fee loans to support all universities, including research-intensives.