Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on encouraging Qatari investment in UK research and development.

Through all our global partnerships, including those in the Gulf, government is delivering on the UK’s Science and Technology Framework and strengthening UK R&D.

Qatar is an important friend to the UK and our bilateral relationship includes cooperation across many areas. The UK-Qatar Strategic Investment Partnership, signed in May 2022, signalled Qatar’s intention to deploy a further £10bn investment in key UK sectors, such as life science, zero-emissions vehicles and fintech over the next 5 years.

The UK’s new research MoU with Saudi Arabia, which I signed last month, is another example of where we are driving forward partnerships in the region to support UK R&D.