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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to support geological research into the discovery of new sources of helium.

We appreciate that helium is a key resource for some businesses and science laboratories and is critical for a number of products in sectors like health and defence.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy funds the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) over £400m per year. NERC is the UK's main agency for funding and managing research, training and knowledge exchange in atmospheric, Earth, biological, terrestrial and aquatic science.

In keeping with the Haldane principle, decisions on specific research priorities and funding are taken by the Research Councils based on advice from the research community through peer review. NERC welcomes high quality applications for support into any aspect of geological research and these are judged in open competition with other demands on funding. Awards are made according to their scientific quality and importance.