Life sciences at the heart of the UK economy

The government will today host the second in a series of roundtables with stakeholders from leading life science businesses.

Photo of a laboratory technician working.

The Chancellor, International Trade Secretary, Business Secretary and Health and Social Care Secretary will be amongst those attending. They will meet with senior representatives from leading UK and international life sciences companies, as the UK positions itself as the global home of health innovation, welcoming overseas investment and seeking to boost exports in the process.

Discussions at the roundtable will focus on how the future of the life sciences sector will be supported by the delivery of our modern Industrial Strategy. This will ensure that the UK is ‘open for business’ with a positive business environment, the realisation of our ambitions for a comprehensive agreement with the EU on our future relationship and the development and implementation of our independent trade policy.

To date, the government has engaged significantly with the sector, including the launch of the Life Sciences Industrial Strategy and Sector Deal, the Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers’ Davos meeting with global life sciences executives and the inaugural meeting of the Life Sciences Council at 10 Downing Street in May.

The UK remains the number one destination for life sciences inward investment in Europe, ranks number 2 globally behind the US, and has also grown a thriving domestic industry with more than 5,600 companies and some of the strongest research and development capability in Europe.

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, said:

The UK is a world leader in developing innovative healthcare solutions, and the ever-evolving life sciences sector presents significant trading opportunities across the globe.