The next step in the UK's plans for Quantum technology will help deliver personalised treatments, potential cures for diseases, safeguard our national security and deliver high-paid jobs.   

A programme worth up to £2bn of government investment will ensure the UK stays at the forefront of Quantum innovation. The UK will  become the first country to benefit from Quantum computers, sensors and networks.   

The UK has become the first country to commit to an advanced procurement to build large-scale quantum computers on our shores by the early 2030s. This first-of-its-kind procurement programme - ProQure: Scaling UK Quantum Computing - will launch next week, where companies will be invited to table proposals to partner with the UK to deliver prototypes for evaluation.  

Prototypes will then be assessed, with the most promising companies invited to deliver larger-scale machines for use by scientists, researchers, the public sector, and businesses, as part of our national computing infrastructure.    

Technology secretary, Liz Kendall, said: ‘I am determined this country grasps the benefits will Quantum computing will bring. It is only by keeping pace with technological progress that we can deliver the high-paid jobs, cutting-edge public services, and innovations which change lives.

‘Today's announcements are an investment in our future - unlocking better health, wealth, and more opportunities for communities across the country.   

‘This government is ushering in a Quantum leap - making the choice today to back UK scientists, companies, and innovators so we can deliver a future that works for all.'

The technology is already being put to work across the country, with Q-BIOMED researchers at the University College London exploring wearable brain scanners to support people suffering from epilepsy.