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Research: Finance

Asked by Clive JonesLiberal DemocratDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled Answered 24 February 2025UIN 29744

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to incentivise R&D investment in the United Kingdom.

Answered by Feryal Clark

R&D investment in the UK is 2.8% of GDP, ahead of the OECD average of 2.7%. To further incentivise R&D investment, we are supporting innovators with a record £20.4 billion in R&D spending for 2025/26, which on average leverages £2 of private R&D investment for every pound of public investment. The UK is also a leader in attracting international R&D investment, with the second highest number of R&D inward investment projects in Europe. We are backing high-growth firms through reforms to the British Business Bank and pensions to unlock £80 billion of investment. Our generous R&D tax relief rates are projected to support £56 billion of business R&D expenditure annually by 2029-30.

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