Danni Croucher and James Claverly
The budget signals sustained investment in research and development (R&D), and backs innovation as the means to catalyse growth. As a national laboratory with over 1,000 scientists, NPL is at the heart of driving innovation and the Government’s Growth Mission . We deliver extraordinary impact by providing the measurement capability that underpins the UK's prosperity and quality of life.
The Chancellor celebrated more than £250 billion of committed investment into the eight Industrial Strategy sectors (the IS-8) in the last quarter – capital injection at a scale which showcases business innovation remains at the heart of the Growth agenda. This backing seeks to pave the way to certainty and stability around policy direction and investment, to mobilise sectors, and to crowd in funding.
The Budget details interventions to grow the IS-8 sectors across cities and clusters throughout the UK. NPL is a national lab with offices around the UK, and our work touches on every one of the eight Industrial Strategy sectors.
Our unique expertise in the testing, evaluation, verification and validation of new, emerging and frontier technologies means we are at the heart of delivering success. We look forward to continuing our partnerships with businesses across the IS-8.
As the data revolution continues, the UK needs proactive action to create the foundational infrastructure and industry confidence needed to lead AI and quantum development globally. The Chancellor highlighted the creation of important new AI Growth Zones in the North East, North Wales, and South Wales, and noted reforms to planning and energy to accelerate the building of AI infrastructure across the UK.
The world-leading semiconductor cluster in South Wales will also receive £10 million to strengthen its supply chain. This important investment will help support the development of AI products and services at scale.
At NPL, we develop tools to increase confidence in AI, building standards for future digital worlds. We embed measurement data into a trusted digital infrastructure that will underpin future traceability chains. Our continued focus on data and the test, evaluation, verification and validation of AI will help drive success at scale for the UK.
The Government has committed to nuclear energy as a major component in the future of the UK grid, backing the development of three new Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) across the UK, the first of which will be developed in North Wales.
Around 21% of the UK's generated electricity comes from nuclear energy, but approximately half of this capacity is being retired. SMRs will play a key role in the future of energy supply across the UK. NPL partners across the UK’s nuclear sector to support the development of affordable and deliverable SMRs at scale and working with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and industry to reduce costs of decommissioning. We remain at the heart of this new era of nuclear energy, and key to the transition as it continues.
The Autumn Budget signals an exciting time across the pivotal research and commercial areas at NPL – and for UK science and innovation more broadly. Find out about how we are playing a role in delivering these missions, and about our impact.
08 Dec 2025