Alan Gemmell

The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade intends to consult on the Energy-Intensive Industries Compensation Scheme, and all relevant stakeholders are encouraged to engage with the review when the opportunity arises. The Government continues to review the impact of high energy costs and regularly works with industry to consider potential further support beyond what is currently delivered, including the British Industry Supercharger.

Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) officials are aware of the competitiveness challenges that the glass industry faces, and that EU container and flat glass manufacturers currently receive indirect carbon cost compensation. While no specific assessment has been conducted on the impact of the Energy-Intensive Industries (EII) Compensation Scheme’s consultation publication timeline, the Government encourages the glass industry to engage with the EII Compensation Scheme review when the opportunity arises. BIST officials also regularly engage with the glass sector’s main trade association, British Glass, to explore potential further support for the sector.

This government is committed to our international science and technology engagements being strategic, evidence-led and aligned with domestic priorities. We have clear objectives set by the Industrial Strategy and the Science and Technology Sector Plan.

It remains this Government’s opinion that the rapid development of new technologies means any fixed strategy would reduce the flexibility we have to respond to new developments.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) undertook a prioritisation exercise to return its portfolio to a sustainable financial position while protecting key scientific capabilities, major facilities and international partnerships.

The exercise was informed by extensive engagement with the research community and expert advisory structures. Decisions were assessed against factors including scientific excellence, long-term impact, strategic importance, international leadership, value for money and the preservation of hard-to-recreate capabilities.

The Department has no plans to publish a separate impact assessment. The prioritisation exercise considered the potential implications of proposed changes across STFC's portfolio, with the objective of maintaining the capabilities and infrastructure most critical to the UK's research base and strategic priorities.

The Government remains committed to supporting growth and national security through research and innovation. UKRI will invest £9 billion across the Industrial Strategy Sectors over the SR period, including £555 million on national security and defence.

The Government recognises the critical importance of maintaining UK sovereign scientific capabilities, including the people, infrastructure, expertise and networks that underpin future research and innovation.

International partnerships enable the UK to develop and operate world-leading facilities no single country could readily provide alone, giving UK researchers access to unique capabilities and creating opportunities for UK businesses, skills and scientific leadership.

UK Research and Innovation prioritises domestic and international research infrastructure investments across its portfolio to support scientific excellence and strategic priorities, deliver value for money and drive growth.

EDF announced that the operational lifetime of Torness would be extended by two years to March 2030. This has supported Scotland’s energy resilience by continuing to provide around 20% of its overall energy needs and securing high-quality jobs and specialist skills in the area.

We continue to engage with EDF and the Office for Nuclear Regulation to consider the future of Torness and remain open to discussions on new nuclear deployment in Scotland.

Nuclear has an important role to play in a secure and decarbonised electricity system, providing firm baseload capacity alongside renewables and other low-carbon technologies.

Great British Energy - Nuclear’s study of Scotland's potential for new nuclear, published on 30 June, indicates that Scotland has land areas with high potential for new nuclear development in the future.

New nuclear projects can deliver billions of pounds of investment and thousands of high-quality jobs to a region. UK Ministers remain open to discussions with the Scottish Government on deploying new nuclear technologies in Scotland.

Great British Energy - Nuclear’s study of Scotland's potential for new nuclear, published on 30 June, indicates that Scotland has land areas with high potential for new nuclear development in the future. The study identified technical potential in the area around Hunterston in Ayrshire.

New nuclear projects can deliver billions of pounds of investment and thousands of high-quality jobs to a region. I regularly discuss the importance of new nuclear in Scotland and UK Ministers remain open to further discussions with the Scottish Government on deploying new nuclear technologies in Scotland.

Great British Energy - Nuclear’s study of Scotland's potential for new nuclear, published on 30 June, indicates that Scotland has land areas with high potential for new nuclear development in the future. The study identified technical potential in the area around Hunterston in Ayrshire.

New nuclear projects can deliver billions of pounds of investment and thousands of high-quality jobs to a region.

Ministers and officials engage regularly with National Grid and Scottish network operators, as well as the National Energy System Operator and Ofgem, on a range of issues relating to electricity network capacity, the delivery of network infrastructure and grid connections for clean energy projects. These discussions include how to accelerate network development, implement connections reform and ensure that viable renewable energy projects can connect to the electricity system as quickly as possible. This includes helping to deliver connections for renewable energy projects across Great Britain, including in Ayrshire.

At the Budget, the Chancellor unveiled the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund, which will provide up to £520 million to secure major life sciences manufacturing investments across the UK. The scheme is now open to applications.

My Department is working across government on the upcoming Life Sciences sector plan under the Industrial Strategy, the 10-year health plan, and the Innovation and Adoption Strategy, which will detail the government's approach to this critical sector.

As education and skills policy is devolved, the Scottish Government is responsible for associated policy in Scotland.

Skills England is responsible for assessing skills needs across the economy in England and helping to align education and training provision with labour market demand. They maintain a strong relationship with the Scottish Government, sharing labour market intelligence and expertise to support a coherent UK-wide skills landscape while respecting devolved responsibilities for skills policy.

Areas of current discussion include skills intelligence and labour market evidence; workforce trends, priority sectors, and emerging occupations; productivity and growth challenges; and education and training reforms.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell, Helen Maguire, on 20 May 2026 to PQ UIN 613.

pEPR in the UK has some of the most generous support measures for small businesses across any packaging scheme globally, including an exemption from disposal fees and recycling obligations for producers with an annual turnover below £2 million and packaging tonnage below 50 tonnes.

pEPR in the UK has some of the most generous support measures for small businesses across any packaging scheme globally, including an exemption from disposal fees and recycling obligations for producers with an annual turnover below £2 million and packaging tonnage below 50 tonnes.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) publishes data on car practical test cancellation reasons by month and driving test centre (DTC) on GOV.UK. This data, in report DRT122B, is updated annually and currently shows data to March 2026. The next update is due to be published in June 2027.

The Government set out a comprehensive package of measures in April 2025 to tackle long waiting times across the whole of Great Britain, aiming to deliver around 10,000 additional tests per month. A key step was reintroducing overtime incentives. DVSA conducted 1.99 million tests between April 2025 and March 2026, a record and 8.6% (159,000) higher than the previous year.

DVSA has also made changes to make the booking system fairer, as well as continuing to run national recruitment campaigns for driving examiners (DE) across the country.

DVSA has two permanent test centres in Ayrshire, which are Ayr and Irvine DTCs. Both DTCs also serve a number of outstations across Ayrshire.

A new entrant DE passed their training course last week and will start testing from Ayr this week. DVSA also has a new entrant currently in training for Irvine who, if successful, will join the test centre in October.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) publishes data on car practical test cancellation reasons by month and driving test centre (DTC) on GOV.UK. This data, in report DRT122B, is updated annually and currently shows data to March 2026. The next update is due to be published in June 2027.

The Government set out a comprehensive package of measures in April 2025 to tackle long waiting times across the whole of Great Britain, aiming to deliver around 10,000 additional tests per month. A key step was reintroducing overtime incentives. DVSA conducted 1.99 million tests between April 2025 and March 2026, a record and 8.6% (159,000) higher than the previous year.

DVSA has also made changes to make the booking system fairer, as well as continuing to run national recruitment campaigns for driving examiners (DE) across the country.

DVSA has two permanent test centres in Ayrshire, which are Ayr and Irvine DTCs. Both DTCs also serve a number of outstations across Ayrshire.

A new entrant DE passed their training course last week and will start testing from Ayr this week. DVSA also has a new entrant currently in training for Irvine who, if successful, will join the test centre in October.

Through Jobcentre Plus in Ayrshire, young people can access tailored support from Work Coaches and services delivered in partnership with East, North and South Ayrshire Councils, colleges, employers, and Scottish Government’s No One Left Behind approach through Local Employability Partnerships. Those aged 16 to 24 also benefit from specialist Youth Work Coaches, employment programmes, and the Government's Youth Guarantee, which supports young people to access education, training, apprenticeships, and work.

In addition, the Department is investing in Youth Hubs, which bring together employment, skills and wider support services in one place. Ayrshire currently has a Youth Hub in East Ayrshire, with new hubs opening in Ayr and Kilwinning, helping more young people access training, work experience, and employment opportunities.

In Ayrshire, we are also engaging economically inactive customers through Pathways to Work interventions, including Flexible Support Funded courses that build confidence, establish positive routines, and reduce social isolation. Specialist Work Coaches and Home Visiting Teams are providing proactive outreach and personalised support, including assistance to address barriers to employment. Partnership activity is also helping customers explore self-employment opportunities, while outreach campaigns challenge misconceptions around working whilst receiving Universal Credit and improve understanding of available work incentives.

Strong employer engagement is creating direct opportunities through Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), work experience placements, and recruitment activity with employers such as Tesco and B&M. Extensive partnership working with Skills Development Scotland, Ayrshire 360, NHS Ayrshire and Arran, third-sector organisations, and local employers is strengthening pathways into sustainable employment through accredited training, work experience, and guaranteed interview opportunities.

In North Ayrshire, where economic inactivity remains above the Scottish average, significant focus is placed on supporting young adults who face barriers linked to health conditions, caring responsibilities, parenthood, care experience, and disengagement from education, employment or training. DWP works closely with North Ayrshire Council and the Local Employability Partnership to deliver targeted interventions for these priority groups.

A notable example is a collaboratively designed wellbeing and confidence-building programme led by DWP Disability Employment Advisers for claimants with long-term health conditions who had become disengaged from both employability services and their local Jobcentre. Delivered over five weeks with support from KA Leisure, Skills Development Scotland, SALUS, The Ayrshire Community Trust (TACT), and EQUAL, the programme combined health and wellbeing support, employability skills, volunteering pathways, and personalised progression planning. The initiative achieved a 100% completion rate, with six participants progressing immediately into volunteering opportunities, one entering part-time employment, and the remaining participants re-engaging with employability support services.

With around one million young people not in education, employment and training, this Government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. The Government is investing an additional £2.5 billion by 2029 into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy.

This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn, including through expanded network of Youth Hubs, earlier intensive support in Jobs Centres through a new Youth Guarantee Gateway, additional work experience and training opportunities, a £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant and £2,000 apprenticeship hiring payment for employers, and a fully funded six month job for long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds.

We also recognise the crisis of participation that Alan Milburn has so clearly laid out in his interim report. We will use this interim report to continue to build our reforms and look forward to final recommendations in the Autumn.

In Ayrshire, support is available through Jobcentres, specialist Youth Work Coaches, employment programmes, and services delivered in partnership with local authorities, colleges, and employers, including through Scotland's No One Left Behind approach and Local Employability Partnerships. We are also supporting economically inactive young people through dedicated Pathways Work Coaches, who help individuals overcome barriers to work, build skills and confidence, and progress towards employment.

It is unacceptable that patients across the United Kingdom continue to wait lengthy periods for treatment and it is imperative that the elective waiting list and ambulance response times are top priorities for all four nations.

While health is predominantly a devolved issue, the Department works collaboratively with the devolved governments wherever possible, to drive forward our objective of supporting people to lead more independent, healthier lives for longer. There are National Health Service England Working Groups across the four nations that meet regularly to discuss both elective care and urgent and emergency care.

It is unacceptable that patients across the United Kingdom continue to wait lengthy periods for treatment and it is imperative that the elective waiting list and ambulance response times are top priorities for all four nations.

While health is predominantly a devolved issue, the Department works collaboratively with the devolved governments wherever possible, to drive forward our objective of supporting people to lead more independent, healthier lives for longer. There are National Health Service England Working Groups across the four nations that meet regularly to discuss both elective care and urgent and emergency care.

The UK's Science and Technology Network (STN) is jointly led and funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. In advance of the 2025 Spending Review, an assessment was undertaken to ensure the STN is adequately resourced securing the right capacity, capability and funding to deliver high impact outcomes for the UK.

The previously titled SIN was relaunched in February 2025 as the Science and Technology Network (STN) to reflect the rising focus on technologies including Artificial Intelligence. STN priorities are revisited annually to ensure the network is strategically aligned.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement I made to the House on 26 March (HWCS1470).

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 14 April in response to Questions 124030-34.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 9 June, where - in setting out the action being taken by the UK in response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza - she said that barely half the level of the 4,200 trucks a week promised in the 20-point Peace Plan are currently entering Gaza.

The UK is working closely with Commonwealth partners to ensure this year's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and Barbuda addresses the challenges of today's world, in particular delivering increased intra-Commonwealth trade, investment and economic security, strengthening the Commonwealth's commitment to democracy, and deepening collaboration on protecting the environment.

We will set out our priorities for other future international meetings in the usual way in due course, including next year's G20 summit.