Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to encourage the commercialisation of UK innovations in (a) cybersecurity, (b) machine learning, (c) microelectronics, (d) compound chip technology and (c) biotechnology.

Government has just launched an ambitious, modern Industrial Strategy which sets out in detail a long term plan to boost the productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK and our commitment to encouraging the commercialisation of UK innovations, helping to ensure that exciting ideas are turned into strong commercial products and services. It includes two new centres to support innovation in UK cyber security as part of the National Cyber Security Strategy, a National Security Strategic Investment Fund of up to £85m to invest in advanced technologies, a transformative multi-billion pound Sector Deal with the life sciences industry to ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of innovation in this sector, our commitment to working closely with industry and academia on the Artificial Intelligence grand challenge and sector deal and a Patient Capital Review which puts £2.5b investment into innovative firms wanting to scale up.

In addition, we are investing in strategic innovation challenges through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund and through the Catapult network we are bridging the gap between business, academia, research and Government on late-stage research and development to transform “high potential” ideas into new products and services to generate economic growth.