Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate he has made of the number of high-skilled jobs that will be created through the Life Sciences Sector Plan; and what steps he is taking to ensure that these will be distributed across regions.

The Life Sciences Sector Plan sets out a long-term vision to grow the UK's life sciences sector and create high-skilled jobs nationwide. In 2023/24, the sector employed almost 360,000 people across the UK. Around 60% of employment in the sector is based at companies registered outside of the London and South East regions. Many actions in the Plan - including a £520m innovative manufacturing fund - are designed to create and safeguard high-skilled, high-wage jobs. Our funds have already delivered over 1,900 jobs, with significantly more expected as the £520m scheme progresses. We will keep working with industry to address priority skills gaps.