Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what proportion of UKRI and other research council funding was spent on (a) dementia, (b) cancer, (c) stroke and (d) coronary heart disease research in each year between 2019 and 2025.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Medical Research Council (MRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), supports world‑leading research to accelerate diagnosis, develop treatments and prevent disease.
Details of funding from MRC, as well as other research councils within UKRI, on specific areas is provided in the table below:
| 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | Total |
(a)Dementia* |
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MRC | £44m | £54m | £50m | £56m | £65m | £56m | £334m |
Rest of UKRI |
| £29m | £30m | £31m | £32m | £23m | £145m |
Total | £44m | £83m | £81m | £87m | £97m | £88m | £479m |
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(b)Cancer |
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MRC | £68m | £70m | £71m | £106m | £73m | £74m | £462m |
Rest of UKRI | £61m | £81m | £69m | £128m | £143m | £125m | £607m |
Total | £129m | £151m | £140m | £234m | £216m | £199m | £1069m |
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(c)Stoke |
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MRC | £47m | £9m | £21m | £10m | £15m | £20m | £121m |
Rest of UKRI | £6m | £30m | £12m | £31m | £50m | £30m | £148m |
Total | £53m | £39m | £33m | £41m | £65m | £50m | £269m |
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(d) Coronary heart disease |
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MRC | £73m | £18m | £29m | £44m | £32m | £64m | £260m |
Rest of UKRI | £23m | £24m | £25m | £49m | £84m | £55m | £260m |
Total | £96m | £42m | £54m | £93m | £116m | £119m | £520m |
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*'Rest of UKRI' spend figure for 2019/20 is unavailable. For 2024/25, ‘Rest of UKRI’ figure does not include funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Online Safety Act 2023, how the department is ensuring that the voices of children are considered in the implementation of the Act, to help ensure that their concerns and experiences are heard and acted on.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
On 2 March, the government launched a landmark consultation on how to give young people the childhood they deserve in an online world. Alongside the formal consultation, we have launched a child and parent-friendly version, ensuring these important voices are properly heard.
As part of the National Conversation running alongside the consultation, we will be hosting events across the UK to hear directly from young people. Families, young people, and communities from all over the UK are encouraged to discuss this vital topic in community events, MP-led local conversations, and engagement through schools and civil society organisations.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps the department is taking to ensure the implementation of the Online Safety Act 2023 does not inappropriately impact on individual rights to privacy.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The right to privacy is central to our online safety work. The Online Safety Act has cross-cutting duties to ensure that users’ rights and privacy are protected. All providers are required to give particular regard to the importance of protecting users’ rights when implementing measures to comply with their new safety duties.
As the independent regulator of the Online Safety Act, Ofcom may refer matters to the Information Commissioners Office if it has concerns that a provider has not complied with its obligations under data protection law.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps the department is taking to ensure that age verification measures implemented by social media apps such as snapchat in response to the Online Safety Act 2023 are effective.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As the regulator, Ofcom is responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the Online Safety Act. Ofcom has set out in guidance that age assurance technologies should fulfil the four criteria of technical accuracy, robustness, reliability, and fairness to be considered highly effective.
Ofcom is set to publish reports on age assurance and the use of app stores by children by July 2026 and January 2027 respectively. The public consultation on protecting children online will also seek views on strengthening age assurance measures. Where evidence demonstrates further action is necessary to protect children online, we will not hesitate to act.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps the Department is taking to limit exposure of children to harmful content on a) self harm and b) eating disorders through social media algorithms.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Online Safety Act requires services, including social media, to protect children from illegal, harmful, and age-inappropriate content.
In scope services that are likely to be accessed by children must use highly effective age assurance to prevent children from encountering the most harmful types of content, such as content that encourages, promotes or provides instructions for self-harm and eating disorders.
The Act requires services to consider, as part of their risk assessments, how algorithms could impact children’s exposure to illegal content and content which is harmful to children on their service.
Ofcom can take robust enforcement action against services failing to comply with their duties.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
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 (a) the feasibility of the 31 August 2026 deadline for new voucher project submissions under the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, and (b) what consideration has been given to extending that deadline to enable additional premises to benefit from gigabit capable broadband.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Building Digital UK (BDUK) undertook a consultation with broadband suppliers at the end of 2025 on their interest and capability for further broadband delivery, and carried out a further update to this consultation in February 2026 to take account of the coverage reported by suppliers in the September 2025 Project Gigabit Open Market Review. BDUK officials are now undertaking further engagement with suppliers on proposals for specific voucher projects. Suppliers are aware of the timetable for the remainder of the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme and are developing proposals for any further projects accordingly.
BDUK has not proposed extending the timetable for the voucher scheme beyond the current scheme end dates as the costs of continuing to run the scheme after this likely to be disproportionate to the benefits gained from any further projects. Most of the gigabit coverage now being provided through Project Gigabit is as a result of Project Gigabit contracts rather than voucher projects. This proportion will increase further as the volume of voucher-funded delivery continues to decline.
The August 2026 deadline for project submissions will give a cut-off point after which the remaining premises not within the scope of commercial coverage plans or voucher projects will be considered for coverage through Project Gigabit contracts. This will help give certainty to the Project Gigabit contracted suppliers of the remaining premises that need to be covered and allow them to plan for delivery between then and the end of the Project Gigabit programme in 2032.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had conversations with broadband providers on the suitability of deadlines for new applications to the gigabit broadband voucher scheme in Oxfordshire.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Officials from Building Digital UK (BDUK) are currently in discussions with broadband suppliers in Oxfordshire on potential voucher project opportunities. Suppliers are aware of the deadline for project applications and are developing project proposals taking this into account.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the (a) current planned deadlines are for new applications to the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, and (b) whether any changes to those deadlines are under consideration.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS) will come to an end on 31 March 2028. The following deadlines will apply to meet this closure date:
These dates remain subject to change in advance of the March 2028 GBVS closure, in line with the GBVS Supplier Terms and Conditions.
Building Digital UK (BDUK) is willing to consider any further proposals for voucher projects from suppliers that can be delivered within the remaining timetable for the scheme. The voucher scheme is just one part of Project Gigabit, and BDUK will aim to cover as many as possible of the remaining non-gigabit premises through the Project Gigabit contracts.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help ensure that UK universities remain competitive in attracting global research talent.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
To keep our world-leading universities globally competitive, the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper sets out a joint DfE–DSIT vision for a financially sustainable higher education sector that delivers better value for students, supports local growth, and meets labour market needs. This includes record DSIT R&D investment of £58.5 billion between 2026/27 and 2029/30.
The UK’s immigration offer attracts research talent through visa routes such as the fast-track Global Talent visa, complemented by funding via UKRI and National Academies fellowships and professorships, our association to Horizon Europe, and the Global Talent Fund to retain world-class researchers.
UKRI allows visa costs, including the Immigration Health Surcharge, to be claimed on grants, and many other organisations also allow these costs on their grants. Visa costs are also allowable costs for researchers on Horizon Europe grants.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2025 to Question 91728 on Broadband: Henley and Thame, what spending she plans between the end of the current contract period for South Oxfordshire delivery of Project Gigabit in 2026 and the end of the spending review period in 2030.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Building Digital UK (BDUK) is working with suppliers to review future Project Gigabit delivery plans across the UK including in Oxfordshire. Further Project Gigabit procurements will be undertaken to complete the remaining delivery necessary to achieve nationwide coverage by 2032. This will be taken forward using the funding that is already available through the 2025 Spending Review, and any further funding that is made available through future Spending Reviews.
At the 2025 Spending Review, £1.8 billion of funding was allocated for Project Gigabit from 2026/27 to 2029/30, enabling delivery of existing contracts, the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, and ongoing procurements with the Devolved Administrations. This is in addition to almost £1 billion of funding which will have been spent on Project Gigabit by March 2026.
Commercial delivery in a competitive market has and will remain essential to the delivery of the overall gigabit broadband ambition, as most gigabit-capable connections will be delivered commercially. DSIT will continue to work in partnership with industry as it develops its ongoing commercial delivery plans. This includes removing barriers to delivery and working with Ofcom to maintain a stable pro-competition regulatory environment to support private investment.