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

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund money can be spent on basic research.

The Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) funds innovative science and research that will increase productivity, tackle long-term challenges and drive growth across the country in areas where the UK is most competitive or has the most potential to be competitive. It identifies challenges that if solved would turn the UK’s scientific and business expertise into leadership in international markets. Each of these challenges will bring together Innovate UK and Research Councils to support collaborations of business with research, and so funding will benefit both. The exact balance will require tailored financial arrangement suited to the nature of the challenges.