Helium

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy written question – answered at on 14 December 2017.

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Photo of Layla Moran Layla Moran Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Education)

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to support geological research into the discovery of new sources of helium.

Photo of Jo Johnson Jo Johnson Minister of State (Department for Education) (Universities and Science) (Joint with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy), Minister of State (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) (Universities and Science) (Joint with the Department for Education)

We appreciate that helium is a key resource for some businesses and science laboratories and is critical for a number of products in sectors like health and defence.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy funds the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) over £400m per year. NERC is the UK's main agency for funding and managing research, training and knowledge exchange in atmospheric, Earth, biological, terrestrial and aquatic science.

In keeping with the Haldane principle, decisions on specific research priorities and funding are taken by the Research Councils based on advice from the research community through peer review. NERC welcomes high quality applications for support into any aspect of geological research and these are judged in open competition with other demands on funding. Awards are made according to their scientific quality and importance.

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