Influencing and shaping our sector | BIA update: October 2022 - January 2023

The BioIndustry Association (BIA) continued to influence and engage with senior stakeholders on behalf of the UK life sciences sector across a range of policy areas from October 2022 to January 2023. This quarterly report provides a summary of these engagements and situates them in their political context.

Q4 saw further change in government in an already turbulent year. Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister in October, bringing with him a new cabinet and a revised agenda for the life science sector. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s move to reduce R&D tax credit provision for SMEs has been a focus for BIA, launching a campaign which saw over 300 CEOs sign a letter explaining the detrimental impact this would have on innovative companies within our sector. The Chancellor’s response offered some reassurance, but this is a live issue which BIA will monitor closely in the run-up to the Spring Budget in March 2023.

Read on for further details of BIA’s work in the finance, tax, and investment space.

With engagements including a workshop with the NHS Centre for Improving Data Collaboration, a consultation response on the UK’s AMR action plans and the publication of a brochure on One Health with the Department for International Trade (DIT), BIA’s work on strategic technologies also continued apace. Our party conference panels on life science apprenticeships and the return of the bioProcessUK conference provided great opportunities to include BIA member organisations in our influencing work.

Download Influencing and shaping our sector (October 2022 - January 2023) for further details of our meetings, consultation responses and ministerial letters this quarter.