Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Aerospace Technology Institute has provided grants using public funds to (1) British Airways, (2) Airbus, (3) Polvair Plc, (4) Farnborough International, (5) Cadence Design Systems, (6) GKN Aerospace, (7) Spirit AeroSystems, and (8) Bombardier, since 2014; and if so, how many grants in each case.

Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)

The Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) is an independent advisory organisation to government and industry and does not itself award grant funding. Grants under the ATI Programme are awarded by Innovate UK on behalf of the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) to support innovation in the UK aerospace sector. Details of all ATI Programme grants, including recipients and values, are published by Innovate UK and can be accessed online at: https://www.ukri.org/publications/innovate-uk-funded-projects-since-2004/

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much funding they have allocated to the Aerospace Technology Institute in each financial year since 2014.

Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)

The Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) is an independent organisation that is co-funded by government and industry to support innovation and growth within the UK aerospace sector. The Government grant allocations to the ATI for each financial year since 2014 are as below. These grants are for administration and do not include the cost of grants for R&D awarded to industry and the research base.

• 2014/15: £2.7 million
• 2015/16 to 2018/19: £2.3 million annually
• 2019/20: £3.1 million
• 2020/21 to 2021/22: £2.9 million annually
• 2022/23: £3.6 million
• 2023/24: £4.4 million
• 2024/25: £4.7 million
• 2025/26: £4.9 million

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many women have died after taking six misoprostol tablets that were prescribed (1) by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service after a telephone consultation, and (2) after a face-to-face consultation.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In accordance with the Abortion Act 1967, registered medical practitioners must notify the Chief Medical Officer of abortions within 14 days. The Department collects information on abortions via the HSA4 abortion notification form. The form does not record the number of misoprostol tablets prescribed by the abortion provider nor whether they received a telephone consultation, therefore the Department does not hold this information.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 18 November (HL11324), how many reports they have received via the HSA4 abortion notification form of women who have died within 14 days of taking at-home abortion medication prescribed by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service in each of the past four years.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department is unable to provide this information as to do so would risk identifying individuals due to the small numbers involved.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to develop a sustainable funding solution for internal drainage board levies; and whether the funding support provided to councils will be further increased in the financial settlement.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government supports and values the vital work internal drainage boards (IDBs) undertake in managing water levels and reducing flood risk, benefitting communities, businesses and farmers.

The Government’s £91m IDB Fund is supporting greater flood resilience for farmers and rural communities. IDBs are delivering projects that are already benefiting over 400,000 hectares of farmland and over 200,000 properties.

In recognition of IDB cost increases and the impact on local authority special levies, the government announced on 20 November 2025 as part of the 2026/27 Local Government Finance Settlement Policy Statement, that it will provide £5 million in funding for the local authorities most impacted by IDB levies. This follows the £5 million grant awarded in 2025/26. Allocations for the 2026/27 IDB levy support grant will be announced in due course.

However, we recognise the need to ensure IDBs are set up for the longer term. In response to rising financial pressures on IDBs, and the farmers and local authorities who fund their work, Defra and MHCLG have commissioned a research project into IDB funding and costs. This is focussed on financial efficiency, value for money, and the broader benefits which IDBs deliver for local communities. It will include examination of whether any changes are needed to their funding model. The research project was launched in early September and will close in summer 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address the financial pressures on local councils arising from internal drainage board levies in areas where they have increased in recent years.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The government supports and values the vital work internal drainage boards (IDBs) undertake in managing water levels and reducing flood risk, benefitting communities, businesses and farmers.

In recognition of IDB cost increases and the impact on local authority special levies, the government announced as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement Policy Statement, that it will provide £5 million in funding for the local authorities most impacted by IDB levies in 2026/27. This follows the £5 million grant awarded in 2025/26. As in previous years, allocations for the 2026/27 IDB levy support grant will be announced in due course once IDB levy data has been received towards the end of the financial year.

We recognise the need to ensure IDBs are set up for the longer term. Defra and MHCLG have commissioned a research project into IDB funding and costs, which launched in early September and will close in summer 2026.

Found: : Lord Gascoigne (The Chair); Baroness Andrews; Lord Faulkner of Worcester; Lord Mawson; Lord Porter of Spalding

Found: Worcester; Viscount Hanworth; Baroness Janke; Lord Mawson; Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer; Lord Porter of Spalding

Found: Dillington; Viscount Hanworth; Baroness Janke; Lord Mawson; Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer; Lord Porter of Spalding

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