Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if his Department will take steps to help improve the quality of mobile phone signal in (a) Houghton Regis and (b) Bidwell West.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to improving mobile coverage across the UK. Ofcom’s most recent coverage data for the former constituency of South West Bedfordshire shows 98% 4G geographic coverage from all four mobile network operators and that 5G is available from at least one mobile network operator outside 93% of premises.

I am aware that Ofcom’s coverage data does not always reflect consumers’ experience of mobile networks at a local level. I understand that Ofcom has an ongoing programme of work to improve the accuracy of its reporting on mobile coverage and I am taking a close interest in the outcome of this work.

Alongside this, the Government intends to reform the planning system in a way that - amongst other things - will make it easier to build digital infrastructure.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the regulation of artificial intelligence (1) does not negatively impact innovation, and (2) maintains the UK's competitive advantage.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government will establish binding regulations on the handful of companies developing the most powerful AI systems. This highly targeted legislation will ensure the UK is prepared for this fast-moving technology. The legislation will support growth and innovation by ending current regulatory uncertainty for AI developers, strengthening public trust and boosting business confidence.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to review and update the national semiconductor strategy published in May 2023.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government’s number one mission is economic growth. At the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology we are accelerating innovation to unlock more growth across the UK, as well as supporting the government’s other missions such as the clean energy transition. The UK’s science and technology sectors, including semiconductors, are already driving that economic growth and unlocking the innovations that will help us reach net zero.

We are committed to securing areas of world leading advantage in the semiconductor technologies of the future by focusing on our strengths in research and development (R&D), design and IP, and compound semiconductors. This will facilitate technological innovation, boost growth and job creation, bolster our international position to improve supply chain resilience, and protect our national security.

We will work closely with industry and academia to ensure our work is delivering real-world benefits for UK citizens.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to support international collaborations to enhance (1) resilience, and (2) workforce skills, in respect of the UK supply of semiconductors.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Given the global nature of semiconductor supply chains, international collaboration is crucial for both the UK’s resilience and economic growth. The government is working closely with international partners on supply chain resilience and developing its semiconductor skills base, including by implementing partnerships covering these issues with Japan, the Republic of Korea and India. It will support UK semiconductor organisations to participate in the EU Chips Joint Undertaking and drive international collaboration on semiconductors within the OECD’s ‘Informal Network on Semiconductors’ and the G7 ‘Point of Contact’ group, to further collective understanding of supply chains and coordinate resilience efforts.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the funding and resources allocated to the UK Space Agency are being effectively used to maximize the benefits of the UK’s membership in the European Space Agency.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government maximises the benefits of its ESA membership through active participation in ESA boards and committees; and a range of initiatives to boost competitiveness and opportunities for UK industry, including the UKSA-ESA Industrial Policy Task Force.

This has secured over €60M of additional contracts for the sector since 2022; plus the ESA Business Incubation Centre's €3.4M investment which supports small and medium enterprises; and free bid-writing workshops.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether approval was sought from the Cabinet Office’s Senior Leadership Committee for the appointment of the new Director General for digital centre design.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The role of Director General Digital Centre Design went through approvals appropriate to a fixed term appointment, including Civil Service Commission under exception 4. Permanent roles will be advertised under fair and open competition in line with usual processes.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of announcing the appointment of the new Director General: Digital Centre Design on Gov.UK.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The role of Director General Digital Centre Design went through approvals appropriate to a fixed term appointment, including Civil Service Commission under exception 4. Permanent roles will be advertised under fair and open competition in line with usual processes.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the (a) First Civil Service Commissioner and (b) Civil Service Commission agreed to the appointment of the new Director General for digital centre design.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The role of Director General Digital Centre Design went through approvals appropriate to a fixed term appointment, including Civil Service Commission under exception 4. Permanent roles will be advertised under fair and open competition in line with usual processes.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the new Director General: Digital Centre Design was appointed through open competition.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The role of Director General Digital Centre Design went through approvals appropriate to a fixed term appointment, including Civil Service Commission under exception 4. Permanent roles will be advertised under fair and open competition in line with usual processes.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will publish the (a) Job Evaluation for the appointment of the new Director General Digital Centre Design, (b) membership of the Job Evaluation Panel for the creation of the post and (c) scores the Panel members gave the position.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The role of Director General Digital Centre Design went through approvals appropriate to a fixed term appointment, including Civil Service Commission under exception 4. Permanent roles will be advertised under fair and open competition in line with usual processes.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on artificial intelligence planning.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

As the centre for digital government, DSIT works closely with other departments to ensure Artificial Intelligence (AI) is driving economic growth, transforming how we deliver public services, and boosting living standards.

Last week, we launched AI Opportunities Action Plan, which will set out how the UK can reap the benefits of AI. We know this will require a whole-of-government approach, so we are working across departments to ensure the Government’s missions and priorities benefit from this transformative technology.

We have also committed to introducing regulation, are collaborating with departments on the details of these proposals, before legislation is brought forward.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what plans he has for the National AI Strategy; and whether he plans to update the strategy.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country. Over the next few months, we will be ensuring that AI is used to drive the government’s missions and priorities, including the Industrial Strategy, the AI Opportunities Action Plan, and wider commitments.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what his Department's policy is on the future of the National Academy for Mathematical Sciences.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The General Election was called during the open competition period for an incipient National Academy focused on mathematical sciences. My Department recognises the value that the mathematical sciences community brings to innovation, science and growth and will confirm the outcome of the competition in due course.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will provide a list of the expected underspends in (a) his Department and (b) each of his arms-length bodies (i) in the current financial year and (ii) across the Spending Review period.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

As the Chancellor set out in her statement on July 29, the government’s spending audit has identified a forecast Resource DEL overspend of £21.9 billion against the plans set out for departments at Spring Budget 2024. This already factors in the Treasury’s assessment of a £7.1bn fallaway over the course of the year, as set out in Table 1 of Fixing the foundations: public spending audit 2024-25.

The government has announced £5.5 billion of savings in 2024-25, bringing the in-year pressures down to £16.4 billion.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council to help increase agricultural productivity.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), we fund and support interdisciplinary research linking agriculture, nutrition and health to food security, environmental sustainability, and biodiversity.

In 2023-24, BBSRC funded around £140 million on research to improve crop and livestock health and enhance food safety and nutrition, whilst reducing food loss and waste. BBSRC’s wider investments to increase agricultural productivity include the Roslin Institute’s research programmes which have contributed to an estimated ~£18.9bn GVA in 2019-20 through global productivity improvements in agriculture and aquaculture.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to the review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender, commissioned by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many responses have been received to (1) Strand 1, and (2) Strand 2, of the call for evidence; whether the date to submit the final report remains 31 August; and what is the planned timing for the Department to publish that final report.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

This is an independent review which is ongoing, and as such responses have not been directed to the Department.

As per the Terms of Reference, final reporting will be submitted by the end of August 2024. Upon receipt, the government will consider the report.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what his Department's policy is on the future of the Life Sciences Council.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Life Sciences Council is a crucial forum for convening the sector and advancing UK Life Sciences. We will bolster the Council and have it report directly to the Industrial Strategy Council. It will meet again in due course.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate his Department has made of the increase of availability of super-fast broadband in High Peak constituency in the last five years.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

According to Ofcom’s Connected Nations report, in 2019, 86% of premises in the High Peak constituency could access a superfast (>=30mbps) broadband connection. By 2024, that figure had risen to 95%.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make it his policy to require fixed line operators to share infrastructure to help tackle the proliferation of telegraph poles.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

We understand concerns about the excessive deployment of telegraph poles, and are urgently considering options to address this.

Telegraph poles can play an important role in delivering affordable connectivity to communities, and competition can offer consumers greater choice and cheaper rates. However, it is vital that operators share infrastructure wherever possible, as the last thing anyone wants is for our towns and villages to be littered with countless unnecessary competing telegraph poles.

Existing regulations require operators to share infrastructure where practicable, and the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 made it easier to upgrade and share existing apparatus.

In addition, the Communications (Access to Infrastructure) Regulations 2016 are designed to facilitate sharing for physical infrastructure.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to (a) prepare for and (b) mitigate future global IT outages.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

As we live in a world that is dependent on interconnected systems, it is essential to be prepared for global IT outages. The Government will work with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to review the lessons learned from the recent outage. The Central Digital and Data Office will work to implement any improvements to the existing response plans to cover technical and cyber resilience failures. The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, announced in the King's Speech, will also strengthen our defences and ensure that more digital services than ever before are protected.

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