AQW 15351/22-27

Ms Kate Nicholl
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 19/09/2024
Answered On Date: 24/09/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy for an update on the progress to implement the Life and Health Sciences Sectoral Action Plan.

Answer:

My Department, along with key delivery partners, have been working on wide range of activities that will help deliver the actions within the Life and Health Science (LHS) Sectoral Action Plan over the next 3 years.

Actions being supported include investing in skills and labour which have a significant impact on productivity and innovation. Also, greater investment in R&D and in innovative, cutting-edge technologies and methods to improve efficiency.

A key action from the LHS Sectoral Action Plan, developing the Future Medicines Institute, (FMI) is underway and the Project Initiation date of 1 January 2025 is on track. The FMI Project is an example of excellent collaboration across key stakeholders including, DfE, Invest NI, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, UK Research and Innovation and Academia.