Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make it his policy to establish an agricultural technology catapult centre.

This Department is investing £90 million to establish a small number of Centres for Agricultural Innovation. These Centres have similar overarching objectives to Catapult Centres and will drive increased translation of research and levels of innovation in agriculture and its supply chains, whilst both improving UK competitiveness and leadership in the Agri-Tech sector, and encouraging greater inward investment.

Innovate UK is responsible for the establishment of new Catapult Centres, and is guided by specific criteria when considering new sectors and challenges. Whilst the current funding arrangements mean we cannot establish these existing Centres as a Catapult Centre, we will continue to explore the potential future Centres for Agricultural Innovation.