Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps his Department plans to take with UK Research and Innovation to maintain the UK's international research reputation, in the context of cuts to Science and Technology Facilities Council funding.

The Government remains committed to maintaining the UK's international research reputation through record investment in science and innovation, including a £38.6 billion settlement for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) core budget is being maintained over the Spending Review period. STFC prioritisation exercise was designed to protect long-term scientific capability, maintain world-class facilities and safeguard major international subscriptions. The UK remains committed to international scientific collaboration, including as a founding member and the second-largest contributor to CERN, and through our £327 million investment in the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO), helping to maintain the UK's position at the forefront of global science.