Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Queen's Speech on 14 October, how they intend to expand the pool of UK research institutes and universities able to endorse scientists and researchers to carry out work in this country.

On 8 August the Prime Minister announced that we would be reforming our Tier 1 Exceptional Talent route – an immigration route for very high skilled individuals who are endorsed by a recognised UK body – to provide for a fast track immigration scheme to attract top scientists and those with specialist skills in Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics subjects to the UK.

The Government is clear that the scientific community should be at the heart of the proposals. We are working with the existing endorsing bodies as well as the wider scientific community on changes to this route. Further details will follow in due course.