Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to support research and innovation partnerships involving local authorities and combined authorities.

As we set out in the English Devolution White Paper, the government will work in partnership with local leaders, businesses and universities to unlock the innovation potential of places across the UK – ensuring that everyone benefits from innovation-led growth that will create the jobs of the future.

To achieve this, we are building stronger connections with strategic authorities to empower local decision-making. Our new Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, backed by up to £500 million, is enabling local leaders to work in partnership with UKRI to grow high potential innovation clusters and create jobs aligned to local strengths.