Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the UK remains competitive for (a) pharmaceutical and (b) life sciences inward investment.

The Life Sciences Sector Plan sets out the Government’s 10-year plan to grow the UK’s life sciences sector, including pharmaceuticals, and drive inward investment. It includes 33 actions with clear milestones and metrics to support delivery — from setting up the Health Data Research Service alongside Wellcome; to committing to reduce clinical trial set-up times to under 150 days; to streamlining regulation and market access.

Delivery is already underway: recruitment is advancing for the Chair and CEO of the new Health Data Research Service; we have launched Europe’s first Biofoundry for mRNA manufacturing; and announced the £85 million Obesity Pathway Innovation Programme with Eli Lilly.