Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Civitas report, Strategic Dependence of UK Universities on China – and where should they turn next?, which suggests that up to one-third of Chinese funding to UK universities comes from sources linked to the Chinese military or banned by the United States; and what plans they have to investigate those links and to address the situation.

The UK government’s approach to China is rooted in the UK national interest. We will not accept collaborations which compromise our national security. We have taken steps to significantly strengthen the UK’s protections from overseas interference in our higher education and research sector, including through our Trusted Research Campaign and the direct support offered by the Research Collaboration Advice Team. The updated International Education Strategy also advises Universities to ensure they have appropriate processes in place to manage risks associated with dependence on a single source of funding. As part of the Integrated Review Refresh, we are conducting a detailed review of the measures designed to support our academic sector to keep their research secure.