Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool Walton)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the level of funding for astronomy and space science.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government keeps the level of funding for astronomy and space science under regular review to ensure it supports the UK’s strategic priorities and delivers value for money. Funding comes from a range of sources, primarily the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) under UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), and the UK Space Agency (UKSA).
Government is investing a record £86bn into R&D over the next four years, including £38.6 billion through UKRI. UKRI must ensure allocation decisions are informed by meaningful consultation with the scientific research community and a robust assessment of potential consequences for the UK’s scientific capability and international standing. STFC is currently working with the sector to model different spending scenarios for particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics and no final spending decisions have been made.
Beyond UKRI funding, UKSA funds space science through our £511 million commitment to the European Space Agency's core budget at the Council of Ministers in November 2025. Further detail on UKSA funding plans outside of ESA will be detailed in due course.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool Walton)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much his Department has spent on consultancy fees in each year since 2021.
Answered by Feryal Clark
DSIT was created by a Machinery of Government (MOG) change on 7 February 2023, we have not provided data prior to DSIT becoming a fully operational department. Departmental Group consultancy spend in financial year 23-24, as disclosed in 2023-24 Annual report & Accounts (ARA), was £24.0 million.
We recognise the Government is committed to restoring the public finances and delivering value for the taxpayer. As part of this wider mission, the Government has pledged to reduce wasteful spend on non-essential and expensive consultants in order to save over £1.2 billion by 2026.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool Walton)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to tackle online (a) disinformation and (b) misinformation.
Answered by Feryal Clark
The Online Safety Act (OSA) will be the Governments key tool in combatting online mis- and disinformation. It sets out a clear regulatory framework to tackle both mis- and disinformation where it constitutes illegal content or harmful content to children.
In addition, we are educating and empowering users through our work on media literacy to increase society’s resilience to mis- and disinformation.
Officials also regularly meet with major platforms, about disinformation activity, emerging risks and platforms’ responses.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool Walton)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for her policies of potential risks of emerging AI technologies; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Paul Scully
The AI Regulation White Paper proposes a proportionate, collaborative approach to AI regulation, and aims to promote innovation while protecting the UK’s values. Our approach is designed to ensure the Government is able to adapt and respond to the risks and opportunities that emerge as the technology develops at pace.
The Government is also working with international partners to understand emerging technologies and AI trends, while promoting the UK’s values, including through key multilateral fora, such as the OECD, the G7, the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI), the Council of Europe, and UNESCO, and through bilateral relationships.
The AI regulation white paper proposes a range of new central functions, including a horizon scanning function intended to support the anticipation assessment of emerging risks. This will complement the existing work undertaken by regulators and other government departments to identify and address risks arising from AI.
As set out in the white paper, the Government will continue to convene a wide range of stakeholders - including frontier researchers from industry - to ensure that we hear the full spectrum of viewpoints.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool Walton)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
Whether she plans to take steps with Cabinet colleagues to support families with increases in the cost of broadband and mobile phone usage.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The Government appreciates this is a difficult time for families.
We have worked with industry to bring social tariffs into the market, which are available from a range of providers from £10 per month.
In June, following our negotiations, the UK’s major telecoms companies agreed a set of public commitments to support households through the rise in the cost of living - including supporting customers struggling with their bills and offering ways to keep them connected.