Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to help support innovation in Northern Ireland.

The Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF) is a £500 million UK-wide programme delivered by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to accelerate regional economic growth. The UK Government has awarded £30 million over five years to support the Belfast–Derry/Londonderry Innovation Corridor. This investment aims to drive regional economic growth and bolster Northern Ireland’s industrial strengths, focusing on high-potential innovation clusters fostering partnerships between civic leadership, research universities, and businesses.

This funding will support research and development, technology adoption, and commercial scaling to turn research into viable products and high-value jobs. Ministers will work closely with UKRI to ensure that this programme successfully drives regional economic growth and bolsters Northern Ireland’s industrial strengths.