Asked by: Chris Murray (Labour - Edinburgh East and Musselburgh)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what estimate he has made of the number of research, engineering and technical posts at UK universities at risk as a result of STFC/UKRI funding decisions for 2026-27.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), as part of UK Research & Innovation, completed an evidence-based prioritisation exercise to ensure its portfolio remains financially sustainable and focused on the highest-priority scientific opportunities. Changes in STFC funding cannot be translated robustly into numbers of university jobs affected, as individual universities decide how funding changes affect their staffing.
The prioritisation exercise considered scientific excellence, long-term impact, strategic importance, value for money and preservation of capabilities. STFC grant funding for Particle Physics, Astronomy and Nuclear Physics postdoctoral researchers was maintained at 2025/26 levels, and PhD studentships and fellowships were also protected, helping to sustain the UK's skills base, research expertise and long-term scientific capability.
Asked by: Chris Murray (Labour - Edinburgh East and Musselburgh)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the withdrawal of UK funding for the Large Hadron Collider beauty upgrade on the Government’s ambition to reindustrialise the UK.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is responsible for funding prioritisation decisions. The proposed LHCb upgrade was considered first through UKRI’s Infrastructure Fund and deprioritised following independent advice from its Infrastructure Advisory Committee. The project was also considered through STFC’s evidence-based prioritisation exercise but was not allocated further funding.
This decision reflects that UKRI receives more high-quality projects than it is able to fund and investment should be focused in areas that strengthen critical capability, attract private investment, and maximise the impact of their funds.
The UK remains committed to international scientific collaboration, including our membership of CERN, as a founding member and the second-largest contributor to its budget. UK funding for experiments and researchers at CERN will continue, supporting UK participation and the international research community.
Asked by: Chris Murray (Labour - Edinburgh East and Musselburgh)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of potential financial and scientific consequences for the UK, and for CERN's partner countries, if the Large Hadron Collider beauty upgrade proceeds without UK participation.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is responsible for funding prioritisation decisions. The proposed LHCb upgrade was considered first through UKRI’s Infrastructure Fund and deprioritised following independent advice from its Infrastructure Advisory Committee. The project was also considered through STFC’s evidence-based prioritisation exercise but was not allocated further funding.
This decision reflects that UKRI receives more high-quality projects than it is able to fund and investment should be focused in areas that strengthen critical capability, attract private investment, and maximise the impact of their funds.
The UK remains committed to international scientific collaboration, including our membership of CERN, as a founding member and the second-largest contributor to its budget. UK funding for experiments and researchers at CERN will continue, supporting UK participation and the international research community.
Asked by: Chris Murray (Labour - Edinburgh East and Musselburgh)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when is the next review date for the National Referral Mechanism guidance; and whether that review will consider the barriers to referral routes for Overseas Domestic Worker visa holders at risk of modern slavery.
Answered by Jess Phillips
The “Modern Slavery: Statutory Guidance for England and Wales (under s49 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015) and Non-Statutory Guidance for Scotland and Northern Ireland” is regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that it remains current and effective for decision-makers and first responders.
Following the conclusion of the Call for Evidence on the Identification of Victims of Modern Slavery, we are considering the evidence received and how identification and referrals can be improved.
Overseas Domestic Workers who find themselves a victim of modern slavery can be referred into the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) by a designated First Responder.
Asked by: Chris Murray (Labour - Edinburgh East and Musselburgh)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans the Fair Work Agency has to collect data on Overseas Domestic Worker visa holders at risk of exploitation; and in what way this data will inform the Agency's enforcement priorities.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Fair Work Agency (FWA) has taken on the former Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority’s responsibility for enforcing legislation relating to labour exploitation and modern slavery.
Workers on Overseas Domestic Worker visas have the same protections and rights under employment law as British and settled workers. All employers are expected to comply with UK employment law.
The Employment Rights Act 2025 provides a robust legal framework for safe and effective information sharing and data gathering between specified bodies. The FWA will use this framework to help inform and make decisions on future priorities.
Asked by: Chris Murray (Labour - Edinburgh East and Musselburgh)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Strategic Housing Specialists have been employed in women's prisons; and whether he plans to increase that number.
Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
There is provision for 50 full-time equivalent Strategic Housing Specialists in England and Wales. Nine of these provide intervention within the twelve prisons in the female estate. The provision of Strategic Housing Specialists is regularly reviewed to ensure consistent coverage of the resettlement estate.
Asked by: Chris Murray (Labour - Edinburgh East and Musselburgh)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his target number is of Strategic Housing Specialists in women's prisons.
Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
There is provision for 50 full-time equivalent Strategic Housing Specialists in England and Wales. Nine of these provide intervention within the twelve prisons in the female estate. The provision of Strategic Housing Specialists is regularly reviewed to ensure consistent coverage of the resettlement estate.
Asked by: Chris Murray (Labour - Edinburgh East and Musselburgh)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the average time taken to make a Reasonable Grounds decision for people currently held in immigration detention.
Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
This government has been clear that identifying and protecting victims of modern slavery is a priority for this government.
Obtaining the specific information requested regarding those in detention with a positive reasonable ground’s decision is not something that can be provided easily.
The government publishes regular statistics on the number of referrals into the system alongside the outcomes of those decisions. Those can be found on gov.uk – the most recent publication covering the period July-September 2025 show that the average time taken from referral to reasonable grounds decision was 6 days across both competent authorities.
Asked by: Chris Murray (Labour - Edinburgh East and Musselburgh)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people currently held in immigration detention have received a positive Reasonable Grounds decision under the the National Referral Mechanism.
Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
This government has been clear that identifying and protecting victims of modern slavery is a priority for this government.
Obtaining the specific information requested regarding those in detention with a positive reasonable ground’s decision is not something that can be provided easily.
The government publishes regular statistics on the number of referrals into the system alongside the outcomes of those decisions. Those can be found on gov.uk – the most recent publication covering the period July-September 2025 show that the average time taken from referral to reasonable grounds decision was 6 days across both competent authorities.
Asked by: Chris Murray (Labour - Edinburgh East and Musselburgh)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she plans to take to help ensure that the Border Force’s freight inspection targets at UK borders are met and what recent progress has been made on reaching these targets.
Answered by Mike Tapp
Border Force have, and continue to, hit freight inspection targets and expect that this performance will be maintained throughout the remainder of the financial year.