Question follow-through · 122589

Universities: Foreign Investment in UK

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has issued guidance to universities on mitigating foreign investment risks in research-intensive spin-outs, including investment originating from Chinese companie

answeredDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology

About this written question

A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.

Answering body
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Tabled
20 Mar 2026
Target answer date
24 Mar 2026
Answer
31 Mar 2026 · 11 calendar days after tabling

Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.

Recorded timeline

  1. 20 Mar 2026

    Question tabled

    To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has issued guidance to universities on mitigating foreign investment risks in research-intensive spin-outs, including investment originating from Chinese companie

  2. 24 Mar 2026

    Target answer date

    Date supplied by the official written-questions record.

  3. 31 Mar 2026

    Answer published

    The Government recognises the importance of safeguarding the UK’s research and innovation ecosystem, including the university spinout sector, from risks associated with foreign ownership, influence, or investment. The government will not hesitate to use o...

Open official record

Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.

Later records

Possible follow-up questions

Strong links require the same MP, department and exact heading. Other same-department questions are shown as unreviewed candidates, not as confirmed follow-ups. No debate link is asserted unless a stable source relationship exists.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Technology: China

15 Apr 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to reduce UK reliance on technology manufactured in countries like China that pose a security risk.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Technology: Supply Chains

15 Apr 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to diversify supply chains in strategically sensitive areas of technology like cellular internet of things modules.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Telecommunications: National Security

15 Apr 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of telecommunications equipment containing components manufactured in countries deemed to pose a security risk.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Smart Devices: National Security

15 Apr 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of cellular IoT modules used in areas of smart tech, healthcare medical devices and other connected systems on national security.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Smart Devices: Data Protection

15 Apr 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to ensure public sector data is secure where Cellular Internet Modules may originate from foreign suppliers.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Smart Devices: China

15 Apr 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate she has made of the proportion of critical national infrastructure reliant on cellular internet of things modules produced by Chinese technology firms.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Social Media: Regulation

13 May 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the use of artificial intelligence by social media platforms to support effective content moderation.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Social Media: Children

13 May 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the extent to which social media platforms’ moderation standards reflect UK standards of age-appropriateness.