Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help protect the integrity of global research from authoritarian regimes.

The Government wants the UK research sector to engage with all international partners, in a way that takes account of specific national security concerns, is compliant with the UK’s security policies and regulations, and protects the integrity of global research.

As part of my department's proactive engagement with the research sector, the Research Collaboration Advice Team (RCAT) provides tailored advice to universities on managing national security risks in international collaboration. The Government also offers published guidance through the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and National Protective Security Authority's (NPSA) Trusted Research.