Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has made an estimate of the number of jobs at risk due to the adoption of artificial intelligence in (a) industries reliant on manual labour and (b) other industries.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We are already witnessing AI’s impact within the labour market: transforming the workplace, demanding new skills and displacing old ones. We remain mindful of this impact and its effect on the UK workforce, whilst working to harness the benefits that AI can bring – such as productivity gains, rising living standards, and improved worker wellbeing.
The Get Britain Working White Paper from DWP, HMT and DfE sets out how government will address key labour market challenges. We continue to work closely with these and other government departments through the AI Opportunities Action Plan to monitor this rapidly developing area.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions his Department has had with regulators on supporting the uptake of human-specific technologies to replace the use of animals in the preclinical testing of new medicines.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to the uptake and development of alternative methods to the use of animals in science. We are engaging with regulators including the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and international medicines regulators such as the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) as to how we will take this commitment forward.
Government support for alternative methods includes human specific technologies such as organoids and organs-on-chips. The National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) provides major funding for one of Europe’s largest organ-on-a-chip facilities at Queen Mary University.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had recent discussions with his international counterparts on working with international regulatory bodies to promote the uptake of human-specific technologies.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to the uptake and development of alternative methods to the use of animals in science. We are engaging with regulators including the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and international medicines regulators such as the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) as to how we will take this commitment forward.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he has taken to help protect national infrastructure assets from climate change.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department is supporting the third National Adaptation Programme 3 (NAP3) and climate change initiatives by working with various agencies to protect infrastructure from climate hazards. NAP3 runs from 2023 to 2028 and sets out how government will respond to the risks identified in our third Climate Change Risk Assessment. NAP3 includes a dedicated chapter on managing the risks to infrastructure services. The Government is committed to further strengthening the nation’s resilience, including in our approach to managing climate risks to the UK.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding from Project Gigabit has been allocated to Romford constituency.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Project Gigabit funding is not allocated at a constituency or regional level. Instead, it is targeted at premises across the UK that need it most, specifically those outside of suppliers' commercial plans.
According to the independent website Thinkbroadband.com, almost 94% of premises in the Romford constituency can access a gigabit-capable broadband connection. This is above the UK average of 85%.
We anticipate that the majority of the remaining premises in urban areas such as Romford will receive a gigabit-capable connection through the commercial market, without the need for Project Gigabit subsidy. However, funding will continue to be allocated where it is needed.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much of Romford constituency receives 5G coverage; and when his Department expects that coverage to reach 100% of that constituency.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Although I am aware that official reports of mobile coverage often vary substantially from people’s experience on the ground, I am sure you will be delighted to know Ofcom reports that basic (non-standalone) 5G is available outside 100% of premises across your constituency from at least one mobile operator and 86% of premises from all four mobile operators. Ofcom does not measure indoor 5G coverage.
Our ambition is for all populated areas, including Romford, to have higher quality standalone 5G by 2030. We are committed to ensuring we have the right policy and regulatory framework to support investment and competition, and we are working with industry to ensure that all mobile operators meet our standalone 5G ambition.
We will consider any further steps that might be necessary to improve coverage in light of any changes to Ofcom's coverage reporting.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will have discussions with Havering Council on the proposed East Havering Data Centre.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This is exclusively a planning matter for Havering Council, but I welcome any opportunity to discuss the potential for data centres to accelerate innovation, improve consumers’ experience and drive growth - including with local authorities.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the report by Ipsos MORI entitled Attitudes to animal research in 2018, published by his Department on 24 May 2019, whether he plans to commission updated research on this matter.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government last commissioned a survey on public awareness of, and attitudes towards, the use of animals in scientific research in 2018. This survey was the third in a series started in 2014. No decision has been taken on the future of the survey.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what plans his Department has to replace the use of animals in science.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government has committed to partnering with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the requirements for phasing out of animal testing and discussions on this subject are already underway.
It is not yet possible to replace all animal use due to the complexity of biological systems and regulatory requirements for their use.
We recognise that any work to phase out animal testing must be science led, in lock step with partners, and so we will not be setting arbitrary timelines for reducing their use.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what his policy is on future funding of the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In our commitment to accelerate the development, validation, and enhancement of technologies and methodologies aimed at reducing reliance on animal testing in scientific research, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is currently investing £50m for investment over the five-year period up to April 2025 in the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs). In addition, there has been £5m additional funding for NC3Rs for this financial year.
UKRI will also be conducting a thorough strategic review in 2024, followed by a science review, to determine the optimal level of future investment.