Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when his Department intends to open the National Cyber Innovation Centre.

The National Cyber Innovation Centre is a commitment in the 2022 National Cyber Strategy which said: “We will transform the Cheltenham Innovation Centre, which includes the cyber accelerator ‘NCSC for Startups’, into a true international centre of innovation: the National Cyber Innovation Centre”. It is part of the "Golden Valley" development which is led by Cheltenham Borough Council, with support from the government and GCHQ/National Cyber Security Centre.

Funding for Golden Valley has been secured from the Gloucestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (£22 million) and Cheltenham Borough Council. They announced their preferred development partners, Henry Boot PLC and Factory, last summer. Based on the developers’ plans, the Centre is set to open in 2025/26, subject to planning permission.