Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions she has had with Ministers in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on the devolution of decision making on UK Government funded R&D grants in Wales.

My department works closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and UKRI on our shared priorities, including the distribution of R&D funding to Wales where we have seen an increase of £31 million in UKRI investment between 2021/22 and 2023/24. The Government is investing up to £50 million through the Local Innovation Partnership Fund in Wales between 2026 and 2031, this includes £30 million for Cardiff Capital Region and £20 million for South West Wales. The Government is also considering the future of LIPF in the nations.

R&D funding is partially devolved; Devolved Governments receive funding in their block grants which includes consequentials arising from UKRI allocations made through Research England. Devolved Governments can allocate block grant funding as they choose within devolved policy areas, which include higher education and economic development. This includes the ability to allocate funding to R&D according to their priorities. According to data from the Office for National Statistics, in 2024/25, £150 million R&D funding was invested through the Welsh Government and Medr.