Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to promote the UK as a location of choice for life science investment in trade missions.

The Life Sciences Organisation (LSO), sitting within UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), is responsible for promoting the UK as an investment destination for life sciences, as well as supporting UK companies to increase exports to other markets. The team comprises a mixture of industry specialists and experienced civil servants, who together provide a range of support to potential investors and exporters.

The LSO has developed a suite of marketing materials that showcase the UK’s life sciences capabilities across a number of priority sub-sectors, including but not limited to pharmaceutical manufacturing, regenerative medicine and experimental medicine & clinical trials. Within each theme the LSO promotes the UK through direct, in-market company visits and/or tailored events and activities around the world, and works with international companies that would be well placed to take advantage of the UK offer. In 2013/14, the Life Sciences Organisation delivered 136 FDI projects creating or safeguarding more than 3,500 jobs.