First ever UK-US science and technology agreement signed

A major deal has been signed between the UK and the US to join forces on world-class science and innovation.

The first major project of the deal is UK investment in the Long Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) and Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), for which the Government has confirmed £65m funding.

Under construction in the United States, the LBNF/DUNE project aims to answer some of the most important questions in science and advance the understanding of the origin and structure of the universe.

The UK is a major scientific contributor to the DUNE collaboration, with 14 UK universities, including Birmingham, Lancaster, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and Warwick, as well as Daresbury Laboratory, providing expertise and components to the experiment and facility.

This £65m investment makes the UK the largest country investor in the project outside of the United States. UK involvement in the project will also provide opportunities for UK industry to build capability in new and developing technologies in precision engineering, cryogenics and accelerator-based

Science Minister Jo Johnson said: “The UK is known as a nation of science and technical progress, with research and development being at the core of our industrial strategy.  By working with our key allies, we are maintaining our position as a global leader in research for years to come.

“Our continued collaboration with the US on science and innovation benefits both nations and this agreement will enable us to share our expertise to enhance our understanding of many important topics that have the potential to be world changing.”