Pm reaffirms commitment to uk's world-class tech sector

Press release PM REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO UK'S WORLD-CLASS TECH SECTOR Prime Minister Theresa May and Chancellor Philip Hammond will host a Downing Street reception for the tech sector,

reaffirming government commitment to innovation. This was published under the 2016 to 2019 May Conservative government The Prime Minister will meet leading digital entrepreneurs and

innovators from across the country on Wednesday 15 November, as she announces a series of measures to support the continued growth and success of the UK’s world-class tech sector. In the run

up to the Budget, the Prime Minister and Chancellor will co-host a tech roundtable and reception at Downing Street, and reaffirm the Government’s enduring commitment to this vital industry.

The PM and Chancellor will announce a new package of support to ensure Britain remains at the forefront of global innovation, which includes: * Doubling to 2,000 the number of visas

available to the brightest and best talent from around the world, including in digital technology * An investment of £21 million to expand Tech City UK into a nationwide network – Tech

Nation – to accelerate the growth of the digital tech sector across the country * A new £20 million fund to help public services take advantage of UK expertise in innovative technologies

like Artificial Intelligence * The launch of a £20 million training programme which will challenge thousands of young people aged between 14 and 18 to test their skills against simulated

online cyber threats Prime Minister Theresa May said: > Our digital tech sector is one of the UK’s fastest-growing > industries, and is supporting talent, boosting productivity, and

> creating hundreds of thousands of good, high-skilled jobs up and > down the country. >  > It is absolutely right that this dynamic sector, which makes such an > immense 

contribution to our economic life and to our society, has > the full backing of Government. >  > Helping our world-class entrepreneurs and innovators to succeed is > how we lay 

the foundations for our prosperity and build an economy > fit for the future. >  > Technology is at the heart of our modern Industrial Strategy, and we > will continue to invest 

in the best new innovations and ideas, in > the brightest and best talent, and in revolutionary digital > infrastructure. >  > And as we prepare to leave the European Union, I am

 clear that > Britain will remain open for business. That means Government doing > all it can to secure a strong future for our thriving tech sector > and ensure people in all 

corners of our nation share in the benefits > of its success. The Home Office will look at how it can work with organisations across the UK to ensure wider take up of the additional visas

outside London. Alongside this, the Home Secretary will meet with technology experts to seek their input on making sure our visa processes are as efficient as possible. The new funding for

Tech Nation will see the organisation expand its successful hub model to more cities around the country, including Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Birmingham. Building on the work of

existing regional clusters, Tech Nation will support 40,000 entrepreneurs and up to 4,000 start-ups as they scale their businesses. The new ‘GovTech’ challenge fund will encourage UK firms

to use technology to solve challenges facing the public sector, while a dedicated new team will act as a front door into Whitehall to connect tech companies to the right parts of Government.

A new £2 million pilot voucher scheme is also being launched today by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), in Aberdeenshire, Bristol/Bath and North East Somerset,

Coventry and Warwickshire, and West Yorkshire. This is part of Government’s pledge to help bring the UK’s fastest and most reliable broadband to homes and businesses across the country.

Local companies will be among those offered vouchers by broadband suppliers to pay for gold-standard full-fibre gigabit connections, to help revolutionise our digital infrastructure and make

it fit for the future. The PM and Chancellor will also confirm that over two million people have now received free digital skills training from businesses such as Barclays, Cisco, Google

and Lloyds Banking Group, under the Digital Skills Partnership launched by DCMS earlier this year. And there are just days left for students to apply for a new apprenticeship and university

bursary worth £4,000 a year, being offered by the National Cyber Security Centre as part of Government’s investment in the next generation of cyber security specialists, digital

entrepreneurs and tech innovators. Chancellor Philip Hammond said: > Britain is a world leader in digital innovation with some of the > brightest and best tech firms operating in this 

country. Working > with us, they can provide technological fixes to public sector > problems, boost productivity, and get the nation working smarter as > we create an economy fit 

for the future. Brent Hoberman, Co-Founder and Chairman of Founders Forum, said: > I welcome the UK Government’s recognition of the importance and > positive impact of the tech sector.

 These measures announced today > will help reinforce the UK’s European leadership in technology and > entrepreneurship. Sherry Coutu CBE, Chair of Founders4Schools and the Scaleup

Institute said: > The digital tech sector is a key component of the UK’s competitive > advantage and these new measures are welcome news for innovative > small and medium-sized 

businesses and third sector organisations by > helping to create the conditions in which they can scale up. Eileen Burbidge, Chair of Tech City UK, said: > We are delighted to hear 

that the Government wants to increase Tech > City UK’s funding for the next four years. Under the Tech Nation > banner, this country that has brought so much innovation to the > 

world and leads in sub-sectors such as fintech, cybersecurity, > artificial intelligence, robotics and life sciences, will build a > national network of digital excellence so that the 

UK will continue > to be recognised as one of the best places in the world to start or > grow a digital tech business. SHARE THIS PAGE The following links open in a new tab * Share on

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