Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the potential cost to the public purse was of financial incentives to Controlled Voluntary Returns in Quarter three of 2024.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes all available information on returns expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and accounts at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab).

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the potential cost to the public purse was of financial incentives to Verified Voluntary Returns in Quarter three of 2024.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes all available information on returns expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and accounts at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab).

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Afghans who worked directly for British forces were brought to the UK under (a) Operation Lazurite and (b) its predecessor schemes.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Operation LAZURITE supports the Afghan Resettlement Programme announced in December. It is not in itself a scheme, rather a delivery component that assists parts of the end-to-end process of Afghan relocation and resettlement into the UK.

Over 30,000 eligible Afghans have been relocated to the UK under resettlement schemes. It is not possible to provide a breakdown of relocation figures by job role, including those who worked directly for British Forces, at this time.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 24 January 2025 to Question 25390 on Diego Garcia: Military Bases, which international agreements govern the US (a) presence and (b) operations in the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The UK-US 1966 Exchange of Notes, as amended and supplemented in 1972, 1976, 1987 and 1999, govern the United State's presence and operations in the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the breakdown by country is of Foreign National Offenders deported between 4 July and 31 December 2024.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes data on foreign national offenders returned by their nationality and country of return in the Immigration Systems Statistics quarterly release. These returns are published in the Returns Detailed Datasets, Year Ending September 2024, which are available at: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK. The latest data is for September 2024, with data up to December 2024 due to be published on 27 February.

I can also confirm that between 5 July 2024 and 4 January 2025, 2,580 FNOs have been returned either by enforced or voluntary return; this is an increase of 23% compared with the same period 12 months prior.

The published statistics refer to enforced returns which include deportations, as well as cases where a person has breached UK immigration laws, and those removed under other administrative and illegal entry powers that have declined to leave voluntarily. Figures on deportations, which are a subset of enforced returns, are not separately available.

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 the Regulatory Innovation Office on the AI Opportunities Action Plan since July 2024.

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

The Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) has contributed to the development of the AI Opportunities Action Plan and will continue to collaborate on delivering its commitments. As set out in the Action Plan, the UK’s proportionate, flexible regulatory approach is a crucial enabler for realising the government’s ambitions on artificial intelligence. Through advancing regulatory innovation, the RIO will play a key role in bringing new technologies across a range of sectors to the public faster and safely.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 22767 on Border Security Command, what aspect of system leadership the Border Security Command provides to the National Crime Agency.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The objective of system leadership in the context of border security is to ensure that all partners are working toward a single coordinated plan and unified response to border threats, particularly organised immigration crime.

Tackling threats to our border security is not exclusive to individual police forces which is why we work with the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, similarly the National Crime Agency, Immigration Enforcement and Border Force should not be distinct in this regard. As set out in the Delivering Border Security statement published on gov.uk, the BSC as system leader will drive priorities across the border security system, ensuring the system has the appropriate resources, powers, capabilities, and mandates in place across the piece to deliver on priorities set by the Government.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 22767 on Border Security Command, what aspect of system leadership the Border Security Command provides to Immigration Enforcement.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The objective of system leadership in the context of border security is to ensure that all partners are working toward a single coordinated plan and unified response to border threats, particularly organised immigration crime.

Tackling threats to our border security is not exclusive to individual police forces which is why we work with the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, similarly the National Crime Agency, Immigration Enforcement and Border Force should not be distinct in this regard. As set out in the Delivering Border Security statement published on gov.uk, the BSC as system leader will drive priorities across the border security system, ensuring the system has the appropriate resources, powers, capabilities, and mandates in place across the piece to deliver on priorities set by the Government.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 22767 on Border Security Command, what aspect of system leadership the Border Security Command provides to Border Force.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The objective of system leadership in the context of border security is to ensure that all partners are working toward a single coordinated plan and unified response to border threats, particularly organised immigration crime.

Tackling threats to our border security is not exclusive to individual police forces which is why we work with the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, similarly the National Crime Agency, Immigration Enforcement and Border Force should not be distinct in this regard. As set out in the Delivering Border Security statement published on gov.uk, the BSC as system leader will drive priorities across the border security system, ensuring the system has the appropriate resources, powers, capabilities, and mandates in place across the piece to deliver on priorities set by the Government.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 22767 on Border Security Command, what aspect of system leadership the Border Security Command provides to the police; and with which police forces it is working in partnership.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The objective of system leadership in the context of border security is to ensure that all partners are working toward a single coordinated plan and unified response to border threats, particularly organised immigration crime.

Tackling threats to our border security is not exclusive to individual police forces which is why we work with the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, similarly the National Crime Agency, Immigration Enforcement and Border Force should not be distinct in this regard. As set out in the Delivering Border Security statement published on gov.uk, the BSC as system leader will drive priorities across the border security system, ensuring the system has the appropriate resources, powers, capabilities, and mandates in place across the piece to deliver on priorities set by the Government.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the conversion of a single property into a house of multiple occupancy increases the overall number of properties within the Government's housing stock figures.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The conversion of an existing residential property into a house of multiple occupancy would not normally count as a net additional dwelling in the official statistics on housing supply or dwelling stock estimates.

Data for the housing supply release is collected from local authorities and the Greater London Authority (for London Boroughs). The official guidance for the data return is that a House in Multiple Occupation, cannot be counted as a net additional dwelling, as the house would have been counted as a net additional dwelling in a previous year.

However, if a House in Multiple Occupation is created by change of use from a non-residential building, then it can be counted as one net additional dwelling.

The official guidance can be found on gov.uk here.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding the Government provided for research into idiopathic pulmonary hypertension in the 2023-24 financial year; and which public bodies provided that funding.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR did not commit any specific funding for idiopathic pulmonary hypertension research in the 2023-24 financial year.

UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) plays a key role in funding both disease specific and underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally. UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects which includes work on blood vessel function/dysfunction and on fibrosis which is relevant to this condition. The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for idiopathic pulmonary hypertension research was £1,360,310 for 1 award (MRC funded).

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps the Government has taken to block mobile phone signals for contraband mobile phones held by prisoners across the prison estate.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) is committed to tackling the threat posed by illicit mobile telephones. It has a wide-ranging programme in place to prevent them from entering prisons, to detect and disrupt their use, and to investigate cases where a prisoner may have committed an offence.

HMPPS uses powers under the Prisons (Interference with Wireless Telegraphy) Act 2012 to enable prisons to use technology to suppress the use of wireless telegraphy such as mobile phones.

As part of their local security strategies, prisons are able to deploy a range of measures, but owing to security and operational sensitivities, it would not be appropriate to provide detailed information about the countermeasures that are in place.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the closest island to the Chagos archipelago is that is not part of the UK deal with Mauritius.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The closest land to the Chagos group is the Maldives islands with Gan, part of Addu atoll (also known as Seenu Atoll) as the most southerly point.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK and Mauritius joint statement, 3 October 2024, published on 3 October 2024, from whom will the United States lease the Diego Garcia military base; and over what period of time will the new lease cover.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

With respect to Diego Garcia, there is no lease. US presence and operations in the British Indian Ocean Territory are governed by a series of international agreements, beginning with a 1966 Exchange of Notes between the US and UK, which set out that the whole Territory should be made available for UK and US defence purposes. Under the proposed Treaty between the UK and Mauritius, the UK will exercise all rights and authorities which the UK requires for the long-term, secure and effective operation of the military base. The agreement will have a duration of 99 years from entry into force, extendable with the agreement of both parties.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2025 to Question 22404 on People Smuggling, whether her Department has recorded the number of OIC groups that have been broken up by law enforcement agencies since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

Where it is possible to make them public, the Home Office and National Crime Agency regularly publish details of successful operations about OIC gangs, including on numbers of arrests and volumes of seizures, and will continue to do so in the future.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the defence budget is accounted for by armed forces pensions.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Armed Forces Pensions represent around 9% of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) budget in financial year 2024-25. This does not include any of the Armed Forces Pensions Schemes' Annually Managed Expenditure, which sits outside the MOD's budget.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) dependents and (b) extended family members have been requested to join Afghans residing in Service Families Accommodation.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP), the Ministry of Defence does not categorise under the terms dependents and extended family members. The Ministry of Defence currently accommodates all those within the scope of the ARAP scheme in temporary and long-term accommodation on the Defence Estate. This takes place on a case-by-case basis in accordance with individual needs, as well as family size and available capacity. In the event family members are separated, we aim to reunite them, however the ability to do so depends on a variety of factors such as family size and specific needs.

The Secretary of State for Defence recently made an announcement regarding the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP). The ARP is a cross-Government delivery programme that will improve efficiency, value for money and outcomes across Afghan Resettlement. Alongside British personnel, many Afghans also worked with commitment and courage to support the UK mission in Afghanistan. This Government has always supported the aims of the Afghan resettlement schemes and we will deliver its commitments to those in Afghanistan who are eligible to relocate and resettle in the UK.

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 UK Research and Innovation on their (a) cybersecurity and (b) procedures to prevent (i) ransomware and (ii) other forms of cyber attacks since July 2024; and how many such incidents have occurred since July 2024.

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

Ministers and officials meet regularly with industry stakeholders and public bodies to discuss cyber security and bolstering cyber resilience. The National Cyber Security Centre offers range of support and guidance showing businesses, agencies and government departments how to protect against cyber attacks. The Cyber Breaches Survey 2024 shows that 50% of businesses report having experienced some form of cyber security breach or attack in the last 12 months. The Government recognises the importance of strengthening the UK’s cyber resilience and protecting the digital economy to deliver growth. To address this, the Government is introducing a Cyber Security and Resilience Bill. The Bill will strengthen the UK’s cyber defences and ensure that more essential digital services than ever before are protected. On 14 January the government published a consultation on proposals to further protect businesses and public services from ransomware attacks.

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 Research England on their (a) cybersecurity and (b) procedures to prevent (i) ransomware and (ii) other forms of cyber attacks since July 2024; and how many such incidents have occurred since July 2024.

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

Ministers and officials meet regularly with industry stakeholders and public bodies to discuss cyber security and bolstering cyber resilience. The National Cyber Security Centre offers range of support and guidance showing businesses, agencies and government departments how to protect against cyber attacks. The Cyber Breaches Survey 2024 shows that 50% of businesses report having experienced some form of cyber security breach or attack in the last 12 months. The Government recognises the importance of strengthening the UK’s cyber resilience and protecting the digital economy to deliver growth. To address this, the Government is introducing a Cyber Security and Resilience Bill. The Bill will strengthen the UK’s cyber defences and ensure that more essential digital services than ever before are protected. On 14 January the government published a consultation on proposals to further protect businesses and public services from ransomware attacks.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with universities on their (a) cybersecurity and (b) procedures to prevent (i) ransomware and (ii) other forms of cyber attacks since July 2024; and how many such incidents have occurred since July 2024.

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

Ministers and officials meet regularly with industry stakeholders and public bodies to discuss cyber security and bolstering cyber resilience. The National Cyber Security Centre offers range of support and guidance showing businesses, agencies and government departments how to protect against cyber attacks. The Cyber Breaches Survey 2024 shows that 50% of businesses report having experienced some form of cyber security breach or attack in the last 12 months. The Government recognises the importance of strengthening the UK’s cyber resilience and protecting the digital economy to deliver growth. To address this, the Government is introducing a Cyber Security and Resilience Bill. The Bill will strengthen the UK’s cyber defences and ensure that more essential digital services than ever before are protected. On 14 January the government published a consultation on proposals to further protect businesses and public services from ransomware attacks.

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 businesses on their (a) cybersecurity and (b) procedures to prevent (i) ransomware and (ii) other forms of cyber attacks since July 2024; and how many such incidents have occurred since July 2024.

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

Ministers and officials meet regularly with industry stakeholders and public bodies to discuss cyber security and bolstering cyber resilience. The National Cyber Security Centre offers range of support and guidance showing businesses, agencies and government departments how to protect against cyber attacks. The Cyber Breaches Survey 2024 shows that 50% of businesses report having experienced some form of cyber security breach or attack in the last 12 months. The Government recognises the importance of strengthening the UK’s cyber resilience and protecting the digital economy to deliver growth. To address this, the Government is introducing a Cyber Security and Resilience Bill. The Bill will strengthen the UK’s cyber defences and ensure that more essential digital services than ever before are protected. On 14 January the government published a consultation on proposals to further protect businesses and public services from ransomware attacks.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Government Office for Technology Transfer on their (a) cybersecurity and (b) procedures to prevent (i) ransomware and (ii) other forms of cyber attacks since July 2024; and how many such incidents have occurred since July 2024.

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

Ministers and officials meet regularly with industry stakeholders and public bodies to discuss cyber security and bolstering cyber resilience. The National Cyber Security Centre offers range of support and guidance showing businesses, agencies and government departments how to protect against cyber attacks. The Cyber Breaches Survey 2024 shows that 50% of businesses report having experienced some form of cyber security breach or attack in the last 12 months. The Government recognises the importance of strengthening the UK’s cyber resilience and protecting the digital economy to deliver growth. To address this, the Government is introducing a Cyber Security and Resilience Bill. The Bill will strengthen the UK’s cyber defences and ensure that more essential digital services than ever before are protected. On 14 January the government published a consultation on proposals to further protect businesses and public services from ransomware attacks.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Regulatory Innovation Office on their (a) cybersecurity and (b) procedures to prevent (i) ransomware and (ii) other forms of cyber attacks since July 2024; and how many such incidents have occurred since July 2024.

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

Ministers and officials meet regularly with industry stakeholders and public bodies to discuss cyber security and bolstering cyber resilience. The National Cyber Security Centre offers range of support and guidance showing businesses, agencies and government departments how to protect against cyber attacks. The Cyber Breaches Survey 2024 shows that 50% of businesses report having experienced some form of cyber security breach or attack in the last 12 months. The Government recognises the importance of strengthening the UK’s cyber resilience and protecting the digital economy to deliver growth. To address this, the Government is introducing a Cyber Security and Resilience Bill. The Bill will strengthen the UK’s cyber defences and ensure that more essential digital services than ever before are protected. On 14 January the government published a consultation on proposals to further protect businesses and public services from ransomware attacks.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the cost to the public purse was of Government funding of Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy research in 2023-24; and which public bodies provided that funding.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between 2019/20 – 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes.

UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally.

In 2024 MRC established a new Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE), co-funded with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) called the MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, which will receive up to £50 million over 14 years. The Centre will focus on developing gene therapies for heart disease, including aiming to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration. The new MRC CoRE funding model aims to support transformative approaches in biomedical and health research.

Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below:

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding the Government provided for research into ST-elevation myocardial infarction in the 2023-24 financial year; and which public bodies provided that funding.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between 2019/20 – 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes.

UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally.

In 2024 MRC established a new Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE), co-funded with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) called the MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, which will receive up to £50 million over 14 years. The Centre will focus on developing gene therapies for heart disease, including aiming to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration. The new MRC CoRE funding model aims to support transformative approaches in biomedical and health research.

Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below:

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding the Government provided for research into non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction in the 2023-24 financial year; and which public bodies provided that funding.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between 2019/20 – 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes.

UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally.

In 2024 MRC established a new Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE), co-funded with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) called the MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, which will receive up to £50 million over 14 years. The Centre will focus on developing gene therapies for heart disease, including aiming to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration. The new MRC CoRE funding model aims to support transformative approaches in biomedical and health research.

Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below:

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding the Government provided for research into atrial fibrillation in the 2023-24 financial year; and which public bodies provided that funding.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between 2019/20 – 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes.

UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally.

In 2024 MRC established a new Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE), co-funded with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) called the MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, which will receive up to £50 million over 14 years. The Centre will focus on developing gene therapies for heart disease, including aiming to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration. The new MRC CoRE funding model aims to support transformative approaches in biomedical and health research.

Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below:

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding the Government provided for research into aortic dissection in the 2023-24 financial year; and which public bodies provided that funding.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between 2019/20 – 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes.

UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally.

In 2024 MRC established a new Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE), co-funded with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) called the MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, which will receive up to £50 million over 14 years. The Centre will focus on developing gene therapies for heart disease, including aiming to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration. The new MRC CoRE funding model aims to support transformative approaches in biomedical and health research.

Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below:

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding the Government provided for research into hypertension in the 2023-24 financial year; and which public bodies provided that funding.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between 2019/20 – 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes.

UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally.

In 2024 MRC established a new Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE), co-funded with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) called the MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, which will receive up to £50 million over 14 years. The Centre will focus on developing gene therapies for heart disease, including aiming to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration. The new MRC CoRE funding model aims to support transformative approaches in biomedical and health research.

Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below:

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding the Government provided for research into coronary heart disease in the 2023-24 financial year; and which public bodies provided that funding.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between 2019/20 – 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes.

UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally.

In 2024 MRC established a new Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE), co-funded with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) called the MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, which will receive up to £50 million over 14 years. The Centre will focus on developing gene therapies for heart disease, including aiming to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration. The new MRC CoRE funding model aims to support transformative approaches in biomedical and health research.

Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below:

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding the Government provided for research into aortic aneurysm in the 2023-24 financial year; and which public bodies provided that funding.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between 2019/20 – 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes.

UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally.

In 2024 MRC established a new Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE), co-funded with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) called the MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, which will receive up to £50 million over 14 years. The Centre will focus on developing gene therapies for heart disease, including aiming to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration. The new MRC CoRE funding model aims to support transformative approaches in biomedical and health research.

Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below:

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding the Government provided for research into heart block in the 2023-24 financial year; and which public bodies provided that funding.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between 2019/20 – 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes.

UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally.

In 2024 MRC established a new Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE), co-funded with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) called the MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, which will receive up to £50 million over 14 years. The Centre will focus on developing gene therapies for heart disease, including aiming to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration. The new MRC CoRE funding model aims to support transformative approaches in biomedical and health research.

Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below:

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the cost to the public purse was of Government funding for dilated cardiomyopathy research in 2023-24; and which public bodies provided that funding.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between 2019/20 – 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes.

UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally.

In 2024 MRC established a new Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE), co-funded with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) called the MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, which will receive up to £50 million over 14 years. The Centre will focus on developing gene therapies for heart disease, including aiming to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration. The new MRC CoRE funding model aims to support transformative approaches in biomedical and health research.

Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below:

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding the Government provided for research into congenital heart disease in the 2023-24 financial year; and which public bodies provided that funding.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between 2019/20 – 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes.

UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally.

In 2024 MRC established a new Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE), co-funded with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) called the MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, which will receive up to £50 million over 14 years. The Centre will focus on developing gene therapies for heart disease, including aiming to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration. The new MRC CoRE funding model aims to support transformative approaches in biomedical and health research.

Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below:

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding the Government provided for research into Myocarditis in the 2023-24 financial year; and which public bodies provided that funding.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between 2019/20 – 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes.

UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally.

In 2024 MRC established a new Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE), co-funded with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) called the MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, which will receive up to £50 million over 14 years. The Centre will focus on developing gene therapies for heart disease, including aiming to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration. The new MRC CoRE funding model aims to support transformative approaches in biomedical and health research.

Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below:

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the cost to the public purse was of Government funding of valvular disease research in 2023-24; and which public bodies provided that funding.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between 2019/20 – 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes.

UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally.

In 2024 MRC established a new Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE), co-funded with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) called the MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, which will receive up to £50 million over 14 years. The Centre will focus on developing gene therapies for heart disease, including aiming to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration. The new MRC CoRE funding model aims to support transformative approaches in biomedical and health research.

Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below:

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding the Government provided for heart failure research in the 2023-24 financial year; and which public bodies provided that funding.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between 2019/20 – 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes.

UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally.

In 2024 MRC established a new Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE), co-funded with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) called the MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, which will receive up to £50 million over 14 years. The Centre will focus on developing gene therapies for heart disease, including aiming to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration. The new MRC CoRE funding model aims to support transformative approaches in biomedical and health research.

Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below:

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost of financial incentives offered to Assisted Voluntary Returns deported in Quarter 3 of 2024 was.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes all available information on returns expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and accounts at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of Afghans that have come to the UK via the Afghan Resettlement Programme worked directly for the British Armed Forces in Afghanistan.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP) is a cross-government delivery programme which will bring existing Afghan resettlement routes into onesingle pipeline. The ARP is designed to make the delivery of these resettlement schemes simpler and more cost-effective, to help deliver better outcomes overall.

As stated in my answer to the Hon. Member’s question 26781 of 30 January 2025, over 30,000 eligible Afghans have been relocated to the UK under the resettlement schemes. It is not possible to provide a breakdown of relocation figures by job role, including those who worked directly for British Forces, at this time.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26921 on Offenders: Deportation, what the cost to the public purse was of these deportations; and whether financial incentives were offered.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the Answer I gave him on 3 February to Question UIN 26775.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26777 on Undocumented Migrants: Repatriation, what the value is of the individual financial incentive offered to each person deported as a Controlled Voluntary Return.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

Guidance on the functioning of the Voluntary Returns Service is available on Gov.uk at this link: Get help to return home if you’re a migrant in the UK: Overview - GOV.UK. I can confirm to the Hon Member that this guidance has not changed since the current Government came to office.

The Home Office publishes all available information on returns expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and accounts at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab).

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26777 on Undocumented Migrants: Repatriation, what the value is of the individual financial incentive offered to each person deported as a Verified Voluntary Return.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

Guidance on the functioning of the Voluntary Returns Service is available on Gov.uk at this link: Get help to return home if you’re a migrant in the UK: Overview - GOV.UK. I can confirm to the Hon Member that this guidance has not changed since the current Government came to office.

The Home Office publishes all available information on returns expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and accounts at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab).

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Advanced Research and Invention Agency on (a) their sustainability plans and (b) assessments of the sustainability of projects they (i) fund and (ii) otherwise sponsor since July 2024.

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

As set out in ARIA’s Framework Agreement, ARIA has unique operational freedoms, including over its research and project choice and its procedures. ARIA is committed to integrating sustainable practices into both its business operations and its programme portfolio. As set out in the Framework Agreement, ARIA will evaluate itself against pillar A of the 2021-25 Greening Government Commitments. Additionally, ARIA will have regard to contributing to the UK’s climate change targets and environmental goals through its programme portfolio.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Geospatial Commission on (a) their sustainability plans and (b) assessments of the sustainability of projects they (i) fund and (ii) otherwise sponsor since July 2024.

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

The Geospatial Commission (now part of the Government Digital Service) has had no discussions with the Secretary of State on sustainability aspects of their work.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many taskings for Military Aid to the Civil Authorities from his Department required the use of RAF CH-47 Chinook helicopters since 2019.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Since 2019, Defra has made two Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) requests that have resulted in the deployment of RAF CH-47 Chinooks. These were both in 2019.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council on (a) their sustainability plans and (b) assessments of the sustainability of projects they (i) fund and (ii) otherwise sponsor since July 2024.

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

Ministers and officials meet regularly with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) including its constituent councils, on a range of issues. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2020-2025 sets out UKRI’s ambition to protect and enhance the environment across its investments and operations, while ensuring that the research and innovation it supports stays at the cutting-edge. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy is available at: https://www.ukri.org/publications/ukri-environmental-sustainability-strategy/.

As part of this Strategy, UKRI established a carbon fund, which identified and funded quick wins in their research facilities and as of April 2025 will support the implementation of a pilot scheme for carbon budgets.

UKRI’s councils provide broad support for research and innovation to improve sustainability, including over £22.7 million funding over five years through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to support research that drives the transition to sustainable technologies and operations.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Economic and Social Research Council on (a) their sustainability plans and (b) assessments of the sustainability of projects they (i) fund and (ii) otherwise sponsor since July 2024.

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

Ministers and officials meet regularly with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) including its constituent councils, on a range of issues. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2020-2025 sets out UKRI’s ambition to protect and enhance the environment across its investments and operations, while ensuring that the research and innovation it supports stays at the cutting-edge. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy is available at: https://www.ukri.org/publications/ukri-environmental-sustainability-strategy/.

As part of this Strategy, UKRI established a carbon fund, which identified and funded quick wins in their research facilities and as of April 2025 will support the implementation of a pilot scheme for carbon budgets.

UKRI’s councils provide broad support for research and innovation to improve sustainability, including over £22.7 million funding over five years through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to support research that drives the transition to sustainable technologies and operations.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Arts and Humanities Research Council on (a) their sustainability plans and (b) assessments of the sustainability of projects they (i) fund and (ii) otherwise sponsor since July 2024.

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

Ministers and officials meet regularly with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) including its constituent councils, on a range of issues. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2020-2025 sets out UKRI’s ambition to protect and enhance the environment across its investments and operations, while ensuring that the research and innovation it supports stays at the cutting-edge. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy is available at: https://www.ukri.org/publications/ukri-environmental-sustainability-strategy/.

As part of this Strategy, UKRI established a carbon fund, which identified and funded quick wins in their research facilities and as of April 2025 will support the implementation of a pilot scheme for carbon budgets.

UKRI’s councils provide broad support for research and innovation to improve sustainability, including over £22.7 million funding over five years through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to support research that drives the transition to sustainable technologies and operations.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council on (a) their sustainability plans and (b) assessments of the sustainability of projects they (i) fund and (ii) otherwise sponsor since July 2024.

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

Ministers and officials meet regularly with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) including its constituent councils, on a range of issues. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2020-2025 sets out UKRI’s ambition to protect and enhance the environment across its investments and operations, while ensuring that the research and innovation it supports stays at the cutting-edge. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy is available at: https://www.ukri.org/publications/ukri-environmental-sustainability-strategy/.

As part of this Strategy, UKRI established a carbon fund, which identified and funded quick wins in their research facilities and as of April 2025 will support the implementation of a pilot scheme for carbon budgets.

UKRI’s councils provide broad support for research and innovation to improve sustainability, including over £22.7 million funding over five years through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to support research that drives the transition to sustainable technologies and operations.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Natural Environment Research Council on (a) their sustainability plans and (b) assessments of the sustainability of projects they (i) fund and (ii) otherwise sponsor since July 2024.

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

Ministers and officials meet regularly with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) including its constituent councils, on a range of issues. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2020-2025 sets out UKRI’s ambition to protect and enhance the environment across its investments and operations, while ensuring that the research and innovation it supports stays at the cutting-edge. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy is available at: https://www.ukri.org/publications/ukri-environmental-sustainability-strategy/.

As part of this Strategy, UKRI established a carbon fund, which identified and funded quick wins in their research facilities and as of April 2025 will support the implementation of a pilot scheme for carbon budgets.

UKRI’s councils provide broad support for research and innovation to improve sustainability, including over £22.7 million funding over five years through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to support research that drives the transition to sustainable technologies and operations.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Science and Technology Facilities Council on (a) their sustainability plans and (b) assessments of the sustainability of projects they (i) fund and (ii) otherwise sponsor since July 2024.

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

Ministers and officials meet regularly with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) including its constituent councils, on a range of issues. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2020-2025 sets out UKRI’s ambition to protect and enhance the environment across its investments and operations, while ensuring that the research and innovation it supports stays at the cutting-edge. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy is available at: https://www.ukri.org/publications/ukri-environmental-sustainability-strategy/.

As part of this Strategy, UKRI established a carbon fund, which identified and funded quick wins in their research facilities and as of April 2025 will support the implementation of a pilot scheme for carbon budgets.

UKRI’s councils provide broad support for research and innovation to improve sustainability, including over £22.7 million funding over five years through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to support research that drives the transition to sustainable technologies and operations.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Medical Research Council on (a) their sustainability plans and (b) assessments of the sustainability of projects they (i) fund and (ii) otherwise sponsor since July 2024.

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

Ministers and officials meet regularly with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) including its constituent councils, on a range of issues. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2020-2025 sets out UKRI’s ambition to protect and enhance the environment across its investments and operations, while ensuring that the research and innovation it supports stays at the cutting-edge. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy is available at: https://www.ukri.org/publications/ukri-environmental-sustainability-strategy/.

As part of this Strategy, UKRI established a carbon fund, which identified and funded quick wins in their research facilities and as of April 2025 will support the implementation of a pilot scheme for carbon budgets.

UKRI’s councils provide broad support for research and innovation to improve sustainability, including over £22.7 million funding over five years through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to support research that drives the transition to sustainable technologies and operations.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with UK Research and Innovation on (a) their sustainability plans and (b) assessments of the sustainability of projects they (i) fund and (ii) otherwise sponsor since July 2024.

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

Ministers and officials meet regularly with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) including its constituent councils, on a range of issues. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2020-2025 sets out UKRI’s ambition to protect and enhance the environment across its investments and operations, while ensuring that the research and innovation it supports stays at the cutting-edge. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy is available at: https://www.ukri.org/publications/ukri-environmental-sustainability-strategy/.

As part of this Strategy, UKRI established a carbon fund, which identified and funded quick wins in their research facilities and as of April 2025 will support the implementation of a pilot scheme for carbon budgets.

UKRI’s councils provide broad support for research and innovation to improve sustainability, including over £22.7 million funding over five years through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to support research that drives the transition to sustainable technologies and operations.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with Research England on (a) their sustainability plans and (b) assessments of the sustainability of projects they (i) fund and (ii) otherwise sponsor since July 2024.

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

Ministers and officials meet regularly with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) including its constituent councils, on a range of issues. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2020-2025 sets out UKRI’s ambition to protect and enhance the environment across its investments and operations, while ensuring that the research and innovation it supports stays at the cutting-edge. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy is available at: https://www.ukri.org/publications/ukri-environmental-sustainability-strategy/.

As part of this Strategy, UKRI established a carbon fund, which identified and funded quick wins in their research facilities and as of April 2025 will support the implementation of a pilot scheme for carbon budgets.

UKRI’s councils provide broad support for research and innovation to improve sustainability, including over £22.7 million funding over five years through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to support research that drives the transition to sustainable technologies and operations.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with Innovate UK on (a) their sustainability plans and (b) assessments of the sustainability of projects they (i) fund and (ii) otherwise sponsor since July 2024.

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

Ministers and officials meet regularly with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) including its constituent councils, on a range of issues. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2020-2025 sets out UKRI’s ambition to protect and enhance the environment across its investments and operations, while ensuring that the research and innovation it supports stays at the cutting-edge. The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy is available at: https://www.ukri.org/publications/ukri-environmental-sustainability-strategy/.

As part of this Strategy, UKRI established a carbon fund, which identified and funded quick wins in their research facilities and as of April 2025 will support the implementation of a pilot scheme for carbon budgets.

UKRI’s councils provide broad support for research and innovation to improve sustainability, including over £22.7 million funding over five years through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to support research that drives the transition to sustainable technologies and operations.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what meetings (a) he, (b) his special advisers, (c) Departmental officials and (d) Ofcom have had with (i) Centre for Countering Digital Hate and (ii) Stop Funding Hate since 4 July 2024.

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

Ministers, special advisers, and officials have regular meetings with a range of stakeholders, details of ministerial meetings are published quarterly on the gov.uk website.

Ofcom is an independent regulator, and the Department does not record Ofcom’s meetings with external organisations.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether (a) he, (b) special advisers and (c) officials have held meetings with (i) Centre for Countering Digital Hate and (ii) Stop Funding Hate since 4 July 2024.

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

Ministers, special advisers, and officials have regular meetings with a range of stakeholders, details of ministerial meetings are published quarterly on the gov.uk website.

Ofcom is an independent regulator, and the Department does not record Ofcom’s meetings with external organisations.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 26778 on Armed Forces: Workplace Pensions, what proportion of GDP is spent on armed forces pensions.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Government's spend on Armed Forces Pensions, including Armed Forces Pensions Schemes' Annually Managed Expenditure, equates to around 0.22% of GDP.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to take steps to decolonise the national curriculum.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE.

The terms of reference, which do not mention decolonisation, can be accessed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66d196b7d107658faec7e3db/Curriculum_and_assessment_review_-_aims_terms_of_reference_and_working_principles.pdf.

The review group will publish an interim report in early spring and a final report, including recommendations, will be published this autumn. We will take decisions on what changes to make to the curriculum in light of these recommendations.

Found: Chair); Johanna Baxter; Mr Peter Bedford; Steve Darling; Damien Egan; Gill German; Amanda Hack; Ben Obese-Jecty

Found: Questions 1-38 Representations made I: Ben Obese-Jecty II: Dawn Butler III: Mrs Sharon Hodgson IV: Mr

Found: Abrahams (Chair); Johanna Baxter; Mr Peter Bedford; Damien Egan; Frank McNally; John Milne; Ben Obese-Jecty