Rt Hon Craig Whittaker MP welcomes new Conservative Government funding into Research and Development projects and boost new economic growth across the North West.
- Innovation and technology can help to raise productivity and wages, transform healthcare, reduce energy prices and ultimately create jobs and economic growth in the UK.
- The Conservative Government are investing in new science and technology projects across the whole country, including £40 million for research institutions to boost the impact of their social and economic research and £1.6 million to boost the UK’s space capabilities.
- By putting the UK at the forefront of new research and technologies, the Conservative Government are harnessing the new jobs and economic growth that R&D brings in local areas.
As part of its mission to cement the UK’s place as a science superpower, the Conservative Government are investing in £40 million to 32 institutions through the Impact Acceleration Accounts awards to boost the impact of their social and economic research.
Five institutions across the North West will receive funding to boost the impact of their social and economic research. Examples of previous projects include: a videogame designed to educate people about dementia and destigmatise the condition and robot that teaches children proper handwashing techniques to reduces deaths from easily preventable diseases. Each institution will receive £1.25 million.
The Conservative Government have also confirmed that £1.6 million of funding will be awarded to eight projects as part of the UK Space Agency’s Space Exploration programme to boost the UK’s space capabilities. This includes Five in the Northwest, for example, University of Huddersfield, attracting new high-skilled jobs and economic growth to the area.
The Universities to receive funding are:
- University of Huddersfield
- University of Leeds
- University of Sheffield
- University of Liverpool
- The University of Manchester
Commenting, Rt Hon Craig Whittaker MP said:
“I am delighted the Conservative Government are investing in our local area by supporting Five universities in the North West to boost the impact of their research and attract high-skilled jobs to the area.
“This funding is vital to ensure students in Calder Valley benefit from the new opportunities, economic growth and new jobs born out of the tech revolution.”