Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has held discussions with the Home Secretary (a) attracting and (b) retaining talented (i) researchers and (ii) innovators through the UK visa system.

As set out in the Immigration White Paper, the Government is committed to delivering a competitive immigration system that attracts and retains talented international researchers and innovators. This includes reforms to our top talent visa routes, such as the Global Talent and High Potential Individual visas.

The recently launched Global Talent Taskforce is also working across Government and with my Department to support efforts to bring world-class talent to key Industrial Strategy sectors in the UK. My Department and DSIT Ministers work closely with the Home Office and across Government to ensure we continue to attract and retain top talent.