UK launches national body to develop quantum standards
The Quantum Standards Network will work to align standardization across sectors and strengthen the UK's global presence
The UK government has launched a new national network to coordinate standards for quantum technologies.
With £10 million in government funding, the National Quantum Standards Network (QSN) will be managed by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL).
The aim is to align standardization priorities across sectors and strengthen the UK's presence in key global standards forums, making sure that UK priorities are reflected in the still-emerging global regulatory landscape.
Government, industry, and academia will work with UK companies to make sure their products are developed to internationally recognized standards, with input from the British Standards Institution and UKRI's National Quantum Computing Centre.
This will include the creation of training resources and guidance to build UK expertise in quantum standardization, along with specific help to support SMBs and startups engaging with standards.
The QSN will, said the government, oversee everything from the linewidths of the ultra-narrow lasers needed to control qubits inside a quantum computer to the size, weight, and energy-efficiency requirements that will ensure one quantum sensor's reading can be trusted against another's.
"Standards are the backbone of responsible, scalable innovation," said Dr Peter Thompson, at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). "By coordinating expertise across the UK quantum ecosystem, the network will accelerate technology adoption, boost UK competitiveness , and support the safe and ethical development of quantum technologies."
The launch, set for the third quarter of this year, follows a pilot scheme that ran from 2023 to 2025, initiated by NPL, DSIT, BSI, and UKQuantum. This brought together leaders from across the UK quantum landscape to test new collaborative models and identify priority areas for future standards-focused collaboration.
"A collaborative approach to standardization is an essential element for the successful realisation and adoption of quantum technologies," said Tim Prior, UK QSN programme director at NPL.
"The QSN is a major component in maintaining the UK as a world leader in this area and turning the UK's ambition into coordinated action. We are building the foundations needed for quantum technologies to scale securely with real-world impact."
Earlier this year, the government announced a £2 billion investment in the technology, including £1.2 billion towards the procurement of large-scale quantum computers.
Quantum, it said, has the potential to add £212 billion to the UK economy by 2045 and create 100,000 jobs, boosting workforce productivity by 7% over the next 20 years.
"Quantum could bring benefits to our society as significant as what we are seeing with AI, with the potential to deliver new medicines, better public services, and protect our finances," said science minister Lord Vallance.
"The UK's quantum sector is already a global leader. With the National Quantum Standards Network we will accelerate its growth, meaning more British jobs and investment into our economy from all over the world."
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