Working Visit of Mr Heng Swee Keat, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the National Research Foundation, to the United Kingdom, 29 September to 4 October 2024

  Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat has concluded his working visit to the United Kingdom.

In London, DPM Heng had separate meetings with DPM and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner, and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting.

  DPM Heng and DPM Rayner had a warm and productive discussion on areas of mutual interest including economic transformation, tripartite cooperation, skills upgrading, and public housing.

  DPM Heng and Health Secretary Streeting, who hosted dinner for DPM Heng, discussed common healthcare challenges and the approaches adopted by Singapore and the UK respectively to address them. In particular, as our people enjoy longer lifespans, there are opportunities to maintain good health for longer, while providing better integrated services for those needing care. They also reaffirmed the importance of innovation and technology in improving healthcare delivery, and welcomed collaboration in these areas.

  In Manchester, DPM Heng met Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham. DPM Heng and Mayor Burnham exchanged views on how government, academia, finance, industry and talent could come together to grow vibrant and integrated innovation ecosystems. Such ecosystems form a critical foundation for economies of the future and, paired with diverse educational pathways and lifelong skills development, would create new jobs and opportunities of the future for our peoples.

  During his trip, DPM Heng, who is concurrently the Chairman of the National Research Foundation, visited research institutes in London and Manchester. In London, he witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Enterprise Singapore and InnovateUK, and an MOU between National Research Foundation Singapore,  Health Data Research UK and partner institutes. The MOUs will deepen strategic partnerships and foster collaborations in Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) between Singapore and the UK. DPM Heng also engaged Singaporeans based in the UK at a reception in London on 29 September 2024.

  DPM Heng will depart the UK today for a working visit to Japan.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

5 OCTOBER 2024

Photo Credit: Ministry of Digital Development
and Information (MDDI)