Committee of MPs tour key sites in Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter

An influential committee of MPs has used its first official visit to learn how the Liverpool City Region’s UK-leading approach to innovation is maximising its world-leading strengths and driving economic growth. 

The House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee (DSIT) yesterday (TUES) visited key assets at Knowledge Quarter Liverpool, including the Materials Innovation Factory partnership between the University of Liverpool and Unilever. 

The Committee also toured the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, with its flagship national Infection Innovation Consortium (iiCON) programme, and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) at Liverpool Science Park, where MPs were welcomed by Mayor Steve Rotheram. 

Select Committee Chair Chi Onwurah MP chose the city region as an example of good practice after being impressed during an innovation-themed fringe event at the Labour Party Conference in September. 

Home to the UK’s first sub-national Innovation Board, the Liverpool City Region has been developing its unique place-based innovation approach – founded on UK-leading collaborations between industry, academia and the public sector – for more than 10 years. 

Mayor Rotheram has set a target to invest 5% of Liverpool City Region’s GVA in Research & Development by 2030, which would deliver an estimated 44,000 extra jobs, £20m GVA, and a 10% increase in productivity. 

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: 

“It’s a great sign of confidence in the Liverpool City Region that the committee has chosen to visit us as part of its national fact-finding mission. 

“Our region is a powerful example of how innovation, driven by collaboration between businesses, universities and public sector partners, can unlock growth and deliver lasting benefits for local communities. 

“We’ll continue to invest in cutting-edge research and development, ensuring that we’re enhancing our world-class innovation assets but also creating thousands of high-quality jobs and driving the UK’s future prosperity.” 

The cross-party committee’s role is to ensure policy and decision making at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is guided by scientific evidence. 

It will use its fact-finding mission to inform a Parliamentary inquiry into the UK innovation landscape to identify how the Government could improve regulation, investment and funding. 

The Chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, Chi Onwurah MP, said:  

“The Committee was delighted to visit Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter today and see some of the ground-breaking science and technology developments it houses. Not only this, but the KQ is a great example of how innovation can boost regional economic growth and benefit local communities. 

“Today, we’ve also launched an inquiry to explore how innovation investment can kickstart growth and prosperity in the UK’s regions. What we’ve heard today will feed into this and has reinforced the importance of ensuring that innovation helps communities across the country.” 

Find more information on the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority website.

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