Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps the Government is taking to support the development of quantum communications technologies in Scotland.

DSIT has a stated mission to deploy an advanced UK quantum network at scale by 2035, supported through several funding initiatives in Scotland.

DSIT funds the academic Integrated Quantum Networks (IQN) Hub led by Herriot-Watt University, and has committed £8m funding to the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics in Glasgow.

DSIT funds university Centres for Doctoral Training in Quantum Informatics (Edinburgh) and Applied Quantum Technologies (Strathclyde, Glasgow, and Heriot-Watt).

In March 2026, we announced over £1bn investment in UK quantum technology development over the next 4 years, with £125m dedicated for Quantum Networking - including a £20m UKRI funding competition on “Enabling Commercial Quantum Networking” that opened on 14th April.