Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with universities on (a) their sustainability plans and (b) assessments of the sustainability of projects they (i) fund and (ii) otherwise sponsor since July 2024; and with which universities he has had such discussions.

The Department has regular discussions with businesses and universities on a range of issues, including environmental sustainability. UKRI has close engagement with the Research & Innovation sector within the UK through their Environmental Strategy, as well as the Concordat for the Environmental Sustainability of Research and Innovation Practice. The concordat aims to help the sector act responsibly to protect and promote the environment, and representation includes universities, research institutes, catapults and funding organisations. Internationally, UKRI is also part of the Heidelberg Agreement. Nine European countries collaborated on developing the agreement, through which research funders take a proactive approach to promoting sustainability in scientific research.