UK government outlines £86 billion science and technology plan to support regional growth

The UK government has announced a package of funding and initiatives aimed at strengthening the country’s position in science and technology, which it believes will offer a particular focus on helping regions capitalise on local research and innovation. The investment, totalling £86 billion, forms part of the government’s broader Science and Technology Framework. It includes targeted support for universities, researchers and businesses outside of the traditional innovation hotspots in the South East of England.

Among the measures is a £25 million fund designed to help regional leaders support researchers and entrepreneurs in turning ideas into commercially viable products and services. This will sit alongside a new ‘Science and Technology Framework Delivery Plan’, which outlines steps to improve regulation, infrastructure, and investment environments across the UK.

The government claims the plan will enable more parts of the country to benefit from high-growth industries such as artificial intelligence, life sciences, quantum computing and engineering biology.

A number of universities will also receive new backing. For example, Teesside University is set to establish a Centre for Digital Innovation, while the University of Wolverhampton and University of York are receiving funding to expand research capabilities in healthcare and environmental technologies.

Alongside the regional support, the government is also increasing its focus on artificial intelligence with a commitment to spend over £1.1 billion in public funding over the next decade on the sector, including AI skills training and compute capacity. A new advisory body, the UK’s National Academy for Mathematical Sciences, will be established to develop future talent and inform policy.

Officials say the approach is intended to ensure that the UK’s science and technology base can support economic growth, job creation and productivity in a way that benefits the whole country. The announcement comes as part of the government’s wider ambition to become a “science and technology superpower” by 2030.