Lord Vallance meets science & innovation leaders in Oxford

19 March 2025

Science Minister Lord Vallance visited Oxford this week in his new role as the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor Champion.

During his visit, Lord Vallance met with representatives from The Oxford Science Park, The Ellison Institute of Technology and Oxford City Council at ARC Oxford. He learned about the area’s growing cluster of pioneering organisations, its growth plans and its long-standing support for reopening the Cowley Branch Line.

The Minister toured the proposed site of one of two new stations that would be built if the rail line reopens to passengers. The project aims to introduce two trains per hour, connecting London Marylebone with Oxford’s four key economic hubs, including The Oxford Science Park and ARC Oxford. This would improve access for talent, businesses and investors.

Lord Vallance said: “Supported by the right infrastructure, this region’s unique combination of businesses, universities and skills is delivering jobs and drawing in investment.

“Empowering places like this to fulfil their full potential will be a key part of unleashing the Oxford-Cambridge Corridor as a driver of economic growth, which is a central pillar of the Government’s Plan for Change.”

The Minister also visited the Said Business School and two Oxford University spinouts: drug discovery company OMass; and Oxford Ionics, a company building the world’s most powerful quantum computers.

In his role, Lord Vallance works closely with government, private sector organisations and academia to encourage investment into Oxford-Cambridge region.

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