Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations her Department has made to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their proxies about the registration of international non-governmental organisation activity in Darfur, Sudan, and ensuring humanitarian access.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided by the Foreign Secretary to her question during Topical Questions on 20 January. The UK continues to use all diplomatic channels to maintain pressure on the warring parties to allow unrestricted humanitarian access. The UK Special Representative to Sudan regularly engages with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and regional partners, making clear the UK's demands for urgent humanitarian relief, a civilian-led transition, and adherence to international law.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to support research institutions in the period before UK Research and Innovation budget allocations are determined.

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

In December, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) set out how it will deliver its record £38.6 billion funding allocation over the next four years. This is part of the largest ever investment in R&D made by any UK government (£86 billion up to 2029/30) and will help drive new scientific breakthroughs, help create new industries and grow businesses faster, and deliver the growth we need for good jobs and better lives.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has been in active dialogue with UKRI to ensure that any implications from funding decisions are fully understood and that they reflect both the UK’s strategic research priorities and its global commitments. DSIT has asked UKRI to ensure that its final allocations are informed by meaningful consultation with the research community and a robust assessment of potential consequences for the UK’s scientific capability.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions his Department has had with German counterparts concerning lessons from the January Berlin power outage for the UK's civil preparedness.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office has not directly engaged with German counterparts regarding the January power outage in Berlin. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is the Lead Government Department for energy resilience.

DESNZ officials have closely engaged with the British Embassy Berlin regarding this incident to understand what happened and what lessons can be learnt.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to promote equality and inclusion as part of the National Year of Reading.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Oxford East, to the answer of 24 February 2026 to Question 112742.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what measures her Department is taking to help prevent the censorship of online information concerning women's health.

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

The Online Safety Act does not prevent adults or children from accessing legal content about women’s health. Safeguards for freedom of expression have been built in throughout the framework of the Act, which places duties on platforms to protect users’ rights to freedom of expression when introducing safety measures.

The largest services regulated by the Act will have additional duties meaning they cannot arbitrarily remove content, and they will need to be clear what content is acceptable on their services and enforce the rules consistently. Users will have access to effective complaints procedures to appeal when content is unduly taken down.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what applicant-led funding streams are available to medical researchers.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds clinical, public health, and social care research and works in partnership with the National Health Service, universities, local government, other research funders, patients, and the public, and the NIHR also funds global health research. Funding opportunities can be accessed from the NIHR website, at the following link:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding-opportunities

The NIHR also provides a wide range of applicant‑led funding streams that support high‑quality research across all areas of human health and care which can be accessed at the following link:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/research-funding/funding-programmes

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding schemes his Department provides for medical researchers.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds clinical, public health, and social care research and works in partnership with the National Health Service, universities, local government, other research funders, patients, and the public, and the NIHR also funds global health research. Funding opportunities can be accessed from the NIHR website, at the following link:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding-opportunities

The NIHR also provides a wide range of applicant‑led funding streams that support high‑quality research across all areas of human health and care which can be accessed at the following link:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/research-funding/funding-programmes

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what role public libraries will play in the delivery of the National Year of Reading.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Public libraries are central to the success of the National Year of Reading’s campaign to engage people of all ages with reading. The Reading Agency has been appointed to work with sector partners to deliver and support public library engagement. The Summer Reading Challenge in 2026, and World Book Night, the annual celebration of reading for adults on 23 April 2026, will be key moments for libraries during the National Year of Reading 2026. Throughout the year, The Reading Agency will provide public libraries with resources, toolkits, and print and digital materials to support their work and boost engagement.

Local authorities such as Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Hillingdon, Oxfordshire and Nottinghamshire are actively celebrating and participating in the National Year of Reading programmes with various activities and events at their library branches.