Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department is taking to increase (a) the global profile of and (b) investment in research and development in cities outside the London-Oxford-Cambridge triangle; and what plans she has to use trade delegations to achieve those objectives.

The Government is continuing to drive forward Manifesto commitments on science and technology including increasing both public and private investment in R&D, across all regions of the UK.

Our High Potential Opportunities Programme, which can be found on our Investment Atlas presents commercially attractive investment opportunities from across the UK to investors. Examples include immersive technology in the Northeast and MedTech health in Wales.

This year we have delivered 18 Trade Missions to advance our trade and investment ambitions, including a mission to the Smart City Expo in Barcelona, November 2022 where a globally renowned digital consultancy firm, with a UK branch in the Hon. Member’s constituency, attended.