£86BN BOOST TO TECH R&D

'Cash will benefit all corners of UK'

- BY MIKEY SMITH

THE science and technology sectors will get an £86billion cash injection to spend on research into everything from new drug treatments to longer-lasting batteries.

Local leaders will have the power to decide how up to £500m per region is spent in their communities.

And the package - part of the government's plan to create jobs - is set to be worth more than £22.5bn a year by the end of the decade.