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 is taking to prevent publicly funded UK research in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, semiconductors and advanced materials from being transferred to foreign military or intelligence programmes.

The UK takes an actor and technology-agnostic approach to protecting publicly funded research from loss, misuse or exploitation. Several legislative measures provide safeguards for research institutions working in areas of greater risk. Export control guidance, for example, explicitly recognises that applied research can be misused for military purposes and that controlled technology or software may require an export licence.

Additionally, BIST’s Research Collaboration Advice Team (RCAT) provides advice to research institutions on the national security risks linked to international research. This includes advice to help safeguard valuable UK research, knowledge and intellectual property.