British MPs and peers urge Chancellor to support the life sciences in Budget

A new group of British Members of Parliament (MPs) and peers have written to the Chancellor urging her to protect and promote the UK’s world-leading life sciences sector in the government's first Budget, due on October 30.

The call comes from the newly-formed All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Life Sciences, which held its first meeting in Parliament on Tuesday to discuss what the Labour government must do to ensure the UK remains a powerhouse for life sciences research and commercialisation.

Writing to the Chancellor after the meeting, they welcomed the Labour Party's plan for life sciences published ahead of the general election, called A prescription for growth, and urged the Chancellor to protect government funding for life sciences research and manufacturing, and the tax reliefs that encourage investment, in the Budget on 30 October.