Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the proportion of gross domestic product that is spent on science and research; and what assessment he has made of the need to change the level of such funding after the UK leaves the EU.

Total research and development expenditure in the UK in 2014 represented 1.67% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), unchanged from 2013. Science and research are at the heart of this Government’s long term economic plan and our ongoing commitment to our science and research base remains steadfast as we secure the best possible outcome for UK science and research as we exit the EU.