Asked by: Baroness Berger (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many people were recruited on to the Green Deal Apprenticeship Scheme.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
It is important that our workforce is equipped with the skills needed to adapt to changing technological advances, including green technologies. Our reforms to apprenticeships are one of the ways that we are supporting employers to develop the skills they need now and in the future.
New apprenticeship standards across all levels are being designed and driven by industry and there are now more than 500 different apprenticeship standards available, including plumbing and domestic heating technician, smart home technician and dual fuel smart meter installer: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/.
Prior to its launch in 2013, there was consideration by Government and stakeholders of whether the Green Deal could offer opportunities for apprenticeships, and £3 million was made available in funding for Green Deal advisors and installers.
Asked by: Baroness Berger (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on what occasions the Regulatory Policy Committee has not rated a regulatory proposal following its assessment.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The better regulation framework sets out the grounds on which the independent Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC) can rate an impact assessment. The RPC has only published an assessment without a rating once (for the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill). Relating to the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill, the independent Regulatory Policy Committee noted that it appreciates the assessment the Government has provided and recognises that the analysis undertaken is the best possible in the time available.
Asked by: Baroness Berger (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the timetable is for the Regulatory Policy Committee to review its rating of the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Regulatory Policy Committee’s (RPC) opinion on the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill was published on 21 October 2019 and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-withdrawal-agreement-bill. Under the better regulation framework the RPC would be expected to review a revised impact assessment if there are changes to the legislative proposals that would significantly change the impacts on business.
Asked by: Baroness Berger (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the amount UK Research and Innovation has spent on research into (a) physical health conditions and (b) mental health conditions in each of the last 5 years.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
We are increasing spending on R&D by £7 billion over 5 years by 2021-22. This will be the largest increase ever.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), a partner organisation of BEIS, funds research relating to health. Funding decisions are based on the quality of the proposals, with researcher-led proposals welcomed into any aspect of human health, with the primary considerations being research excellence and importance to health.
Within UKRI, the Medical Research Council (MRC) is the primary, but not exclusive, funder of medical research. Over the last five years, MRC has provided the following health funding:
MRC Health Research (HRCS) | 2013/14 (£) | 2014/15 (£) | 2015/16 (£) | 2016/17 (£) | 2017/18 (£) |
All Health Categories | 617,605,780 | 625,128,039 | 723,428,975 | 599,790,930 | 585,079,573 |
Of which Mental Health | 30,240,645 | 31,222,399 | 30,585,328 | 28,557,922 | 39,879,007 |
Of which Neurological | 79,901,444 | 79,832,753 | 109,809,894 | 80,286,626 | 74,631,328 |
All Prevention Research | 26,587,238 | 24,479,417 | 22,348,094 | 24,157,949 | 30,297,781 |
Of which Mental Health | 815,707 | 587,725 | 453,152 | 391,856 | 415,533 |
Of which Neurological | 17,006 | 22,812 | 25,047 | 33,037 | 36,383 |
Please note this does not represent the MRC’s entire research spend as some investments, such as infrastructure and underpinning research are not included in the analysis.
Research relating to mental health is funded by all UKRI councils. As well as UKRI, other government bodies fund health research, such as the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The UK Clinical Research Collaboration undertakes UK Health Research Analysis. An analysis of data for 2018 is expected to the published in summer 2019. The most recent report (in 2014) included data from seven of UKRI’s nine councils as well as other government departments and charitable organisations. The report and data are available at https://hrcsonline.net/reports/analysis-reports/
Further related initiatives include:
On 5 December 2018, the government announced up to £79 million of Industrial Strategy funding for a new programme of research that will harness the power of artificial intelligence and big data to dramatically change the way major diseases are detected, diagnosed and treated. The funding, which forms part of the government’s Life Sciences Sector Deal 2, will support the establishment of a landmark cohort of up to five million people to take part in research aimed at revolutionising early detection and diagnosis of a range of diseases, including Alzheimer’s and other dementias. The programme will bring together the NHS, industry and leading charities including Alzheimer’s Research UK, Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation.
Asked by: Baroness Berger (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether UK Research and Innovation has plans to increase the proportion of funding allocated to research into mental illness in the next financial year.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
We are increasing spending on R&D by £7 billion over 5 years by 2021-22. This will be the largest increase ever.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), a partner organisation of BEIS, funds research relating to health. Funding decisions are based on the quality of the proposals, with researcher-led proposals welcomed into any aspect of human health, with the primary considerations being research excellence and importance to health.
Within UKRI, the Medical Research Council (MRC) is the primary, but not exclusive, funder of medical research. Over the last five years, MRC has provided the following health funding:
MRC Health Research (HRCS) | 2013/14 (£) | 2014/15 (£) | 2015/16 (£) | 2016/17 (£) | 2017/18 (£) |
All Health Categories | 617,605,780 | 625,128,039 | 723,428,975 | 599,790,930 | 585,079,573 |
Of which Mental Health | 30,240,645 | 31,222,399 | 30,585,328 | 28,557,922 | 39,879,007 |
Of which Neurological | 79,901,444 | 79,832,753 | 109,809,894 | 80,286,626 | 74,631,328 |
All Prevention Research | 26,587,238 | 24,479,417 | 22,348,094 | 24,157,949 | 30,297,781 |
Of which Mental Health | 815,707 | 587,725 | 453,152 | 391,856 | 415,533 |
Of which Neurological | 17,006 | 22,812 | 25,047 | 33,037 | 36,383 |
Please note this does not represent the MRC’s entire research spend as some investments, such as infrastructure and underpinning research are not included in the analysis.
Research relating to mental health is funded by all UKRI councils. As well as UKRI, other government bodies fund health research, such as the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The UK Clinical Research Collaboration undertakes UK Health Research Analysis. An analysis of data for 2018 is expected to the published in summer 2019. The most recent report (in 2014) included data from seven of UKRI’s nine councils as well as other government departments and charitable organisations. The report and data are available at https://hrcsonline.net/reports/analysis-reports/
Further related initiatives include:
On 5 December 2018, the government announced up to £79 million of Industrial Strategy funding for a new programme of research that will harness the power of artificial intelligence and big data to dramatically change the way major diseases are detected, diagnosed and treated. The funding, which forms part of the government’s Life Sciences Sector Deal 2, will support the establishment of a landmark cohort of up to five million people to take part in research aimed at revolutionising early detection and diagnosis of a range of diseases, including Alzheimer’s and other dementias. The programme will bring together the NHS, industry and leading charities including Alzheimer’s Research UK, Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation.
Asked by: Baroness Berger (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how UK Research and Innovation considers the disease burden of individual conditions when commissioning funding for individual health research projects.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
We are increasing spending on R&D by £7 billion over 5 years by 2021-22. This will be the largest increase ever.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), a partner organisation of BEIS, funds research relating to health. Funding decisions are based on the quality of the proposals, with researcher-led proposals welcomed into any aspect of human health, with the primary considerations being research excellence and importance to health.
Within UKRI, the Medical Research Council (MRC) is the primary, but not exclusive, funder of medical research. Over the last five years, MRC has provided the following health funding:
MRC Health Research (HRCS) | 2013/14 (£) | 2014/15 (£) | 2015/16 (£) | 2016/17 (£) | 2017/18 (£) |
All Health Categories | 617,605,780 | 625,128,039 | 723,428,975 | 599,790,930 | 585,079,573 |
Of which Mental Health | 30,240,645 | 31,222,399 | 30,585,328 | 28,557,922 | 39,879,007 |
Of which Neurological | 79,901,444 | 79,832,753 | 109,809,894 | 80,286,626 | 74,631,328 |
All Prevention Research | 26,587,238 | 24,479,417 | 22,348,094 | 24,157,949 | 30,297,781 |
Of which Mental Health | 815,707 | 587,725 | 453,152 | 391,856 | 415,533 |
Of which Neurological | 17,006 | 22,812 | 25,047 | 33,037 | 36,383 |
Please note this does not represent the MRC’s entire research spend as some investments, such as infrastructure and underpinning research are not included in the analysis.
Research relating to mental health is funded by all UKRI councils. As well as UKRI, other government bodies fund health research, such as the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The UK Clinical Research Collaboration undertakes UK Health Research Analysis. An analysis of data for 2018 is expected to the published in summer 2019. The most recent report (in 2014) included data from seven of UKRI’s nine councils as well as other government departments and charitable organisations. The report and data are available at https://hrcsonline.net/reports/analysis-reports/
Further related initiatives include:
On 5 December 2018, the government announced up to £79 million of Industrial Strategy funding for a new programme of research that will harness the power of artificial intelligence and big data to dramatically change the way major diseases are detected, diagnosed and treated. The funding, which forms part of the government’s Life Sciences Sector Deal 2, will support the establishment of a landmark cohort of up to five million people to take part in research aimed at revolutionising early detection and diagnosis of a range of diseases, including Alzheimer’s and other dementias. The programme will bring together the NHS, industry and leading charities including Alzheimer’s Research UK, Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation.
Asked by: Baroness Berger (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the cost to UK Research and Innovation of research on the prevention of (a) mental and (b) physical ill health in each of the last five years.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
We are increasing spending on R&D by £7 billion over 5 years by 2021-22. This will be the largest increase ever.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), a partner organisation of BEIS, funds research relating to health. Funding decisions are based on the quality of the proposals, with researcher-led proposals welcomed into any aspect of human health, with the primary considerations being research excellence and importance to health.
Within UKRI, the Medical Research Council (MRC) is the primary, but not exclusive, funder of medical research. Over the last five years, MRC has provided the following health funding:
MRC Health Research (HRCS) | 2013/14 (£) | 2014/15 (£) | 2015/16 (£) | 2016/17 (£) | 2017/18 (£) |
All Health Categories | 617,605,780 | 625,128,039 | 723,428,975 | 599,790,930 | 585,079,573 |
Of which Mental Health | 30,240,645 | 31,222,399 | 30,585,328 | 28,557,922 | 39,879,007 |
Of which Neurological | 79,901,444 | 79,832,753 | 109,809,894 | 80,286,626 | 74,631,328 |
All Prevention Research | 26,587,238 | 24,479,417 | 22,348,094 | 24,157,949 | 30,297,781 |
Of which Mental Health | 815,707 | 587,725 | 453,152 | 391,856 | 415,533 |
Of which Neurological | 17,006 | 22,812 | 25,047 | 33,037 | 36,383 |
Please note this does not represent the MRC’s entire research spend as some investments, such as infrastructure and underpinning research are not included in the analysis.
Research relating to mental health is funded by all UKRI councils. As well as UKRI, other government bodies fund health research, such as the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The UK Clinical Research Collaboration undertakes UK Health Research Analysis. An analysis of data for 2018 is expected to the published in summer 2019. The most recent report (in 2014) included data from seven of UKRI’s nine councils as well as other government departments and charitable organisations. The report and data are available at https://hrcsonline.net/reports/analysis-reports/
Further related initiatives include:
On 5 December 2018, the government announced up to £79 million of Industrial Strategy funding for a new programme of research that will harness the power of artificial intelligence and big data to dramatically change the way major diseases are detected, diagnosed and treated. The funding, which forms part of the government’s Life Sciences Sector Deal 2, will support the establishment of a landmark cohort of up to five million people to take part in research aimed at revolutionising early detection and diagnosis of a range of diseases, including Alzheimer’s and other dementias. The programme will bring together the NHS, industry and leading charities including Alzheimer’s Research UK, Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation.
Asked by: Baroness Berger (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the recommendations on page 16 of the Carers UK report, Juggling work and unpaid care: A growing issue, published on 5 February 2019, if he will make it his policy to introduce new rights to paid care leave and a longer period of unpaid leave.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Government has set out the largest upgrade to workers rights in a generation. We are committed to supporting carers and to do so in a way that takes account of their own health and wellbeing, life chances and promotes access to employment and retention.
The Government is taking action to address the practical challenges of balancing work and caring responsibilities, as set out in the action plan that we published in June 2018. The Department is considering the question of dedicated employment rights for carers alongside existing employment rights (such as the right to request flexible working and the right to time off for family and dependants), and we are working with colleagues across Government to ensure that any emerging proposals are the most effective.
Asked by: Baroness Berger (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to make a comprehensive assessment of the adequacy of the life sciences skills base for the purposes of identifying and planning for potential gaps in that base as the UK prepares to leave the EU.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
Government committed through the Life Sciences Sector Deal to working with the sector to reinforce the skills base across the UK and enable highly-skilled immigration, and the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for Education are working closely on this agenda. This also includes collaboration with industry bodies such as the Science Industry Partnership which brings members together to identify and address the skills challenges the sector faces.
Asked by: Baroness Berger (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an economic assessment of the (a) value of early-phase research and (b) inward investment generated by early-phase trials.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The Industrial Strategy White Paper sets out the central role of science and innovation in meeting the UK’s productivity challenge. The UK economy gets a high rate of return for our investment in Science – 20% per annum in perpetuity. The UK research base is highly productive in terms of article and citation outputs per researcher and per pound spend on R&D. With only 0.9% of the global population, 4.1% of researchers, the UK accounts for 6.3% of research articles, 10.7% of citations and 15.2% of the most highly-cited research articles. The UK draws in proportionally more internationally mobile investment in Research & Development than other large countries. For further information: http://oecd.org/sti/msti