Asked by: Claire Hazelgrove (Labour - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that young people have access to education, skills, and career opportunities arising from investment in research and innovation in Filton and Bradley Stoke constituency.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)
The Government is investing a record £58.5 billion in research and development between 2026/27 and 2029/30 to support growth and opportunity across the UK.
The Government has launched TechFirst, a £187 million programme that will reach one million students across every secondary school in the UK, providing education, skills and career opportunities in technology and AI. As part of this broader programme, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is delivering TechLocal and TechGrad programmes which will further strengthen regional tech capabilities and create jobs.
Innovate UK, part of UKRI, is also working with the Catapult Network to help ensure that the skills system understands the changing workforce requirements which emerge from the adoption of frontier tech. Specifically in the West of England, this includes working with the Catapults for High Value Manufacturing, Compound Semiconductors, Digital and Satellite Applications. The region also benefits from UKRI-supported Centres for Doctoral Training, helping to develop the next generation of researchers and innovators.