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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of investing in a significant R&D programme in digital chemistry and materials innovation.

The Government’s long-term objectives for R&D are clear: to invest in the science and research that will deliver economic growth and societal benefits across the UK for decades to come, and to build the foundations for the new industries of tomorrow.

We are investing a record £14.9 billion in R&D in 2021/22 and remain committed to achieving our target of increasing total R&D investment to 2.4% by 2027.

In July 2021, the Government published the Innovation Strategy, which included an assessment of the seven technology families where the UK has globally competitive R&D and industrial strength. The families included Advanced Materials and the application of Artificial Intelligence (an AI specific strategy launched in September 2021). The Innovation strategy considered how the government could support the development of these technologies by de-risking industry activity through investment, prioritisation and the use of its convening power. The National Science and Technology Council, chaired by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister, will help identify and prioritise technologies that will make the UK a Science and Tech superpower.