Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to fund the scale up of research in the life sciences sector.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We are actively supporting the life sciences sector to ensure that businesses investing in research can access the capital they need to scale up in the UK.
Through initiatives like the £400 million VPAG investment programme, we will expand the UK's capacity for commercial clinical trials and manufacturing, enabling research to have the impact that it deserves.
In addition, UKRI's £118m fund will create five new research hubs across the country, from Glasgow to Bristol, to develop new health technologies in partnership with the life sciences sector.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what plans he has to meet with representatives from BioYorkshire.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
I welcome the representations from the University of York setting out the opportunities from BioYorkshire. Science and Technology is key for creating growth and prosperity across the UK. DSIT and UKRI continue to support BioYorkshire to explore opportunities for innovation-led growth in this cluster.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions she has had with social media companies on the potential effects of social media on mental health.
Answered by Saqib Bhatti - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
Ministers hold regular meetings and discussions with a wide range of stakeholders, including social media platforms, on a range of issues. Details of Ministerial meetings are published quarterly on the Gov.uk website.
While most children have a positive experience online, using the internet to connect with peers and to access educational resources, information, and entertainment, the government is concerned about the impact of harmful and age-inappropriate content and activity online.
The Online Safety Act places robust, much-needed responsibilities on technology companies – including social media platforms – to keep all users, but particularly children, safe online.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding her Department has provided to research projects based in (a) York, (b) Yorkshire and (c) the UK in the last 12 months.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
This government is investing record amounts in R&D across the UK, rising to £20 billion per annum by 2024-25. Between January 2023 and January 2024, over £231 million was awarded to organisations based in Yorkshire and The Humber by UKRI. Awards to the York area were in excess of £35 million.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding UK Research and Innovation has (a) allocated and (b) provided to BioYorkshire in the last 12 months.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
As agreed in the Devolution Deal, UKRI, including Innovate UK, will work with the new York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority and Mayor when elected to consider how to bring together different research and innovation funding streams and opportunities across the region to support the BioYorkshire initiative. UKRI has given a range of funding to partners involved with this initiative, including through its formula-based block grants to universities.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
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 improve the life sciences translation process.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
The Government supports translational research in life sciences in several ways. MRC’s translational research group supports research through partnerships with other funders and major higher education institutions and through dedicated funding schemes. DSIT also co-funds the Health Innovation Network (HIN), alongside the Department of Health and Social Care. The network was established to help adoption and spread of innovation at pace and scale to improve health outcomes and generate economic growth. The Network connects the NHS, academic organisations, local authorities, charities and industry to facilitate change across health and social care economies, with a focus on improving outcomes for patients.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
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 support economic sector clusters to bid for funding into research and development.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology provides targeted support for innovation clusters across the UK. This includes programmes to build on local innovation strengths, such as Innovate UK’s £80 million investment in 11 Innovation Launchpads, co-designed with local leaders, to support clusters across the UK to grow. Innovate UK’s regional managers also support clusters by working closely with local leadership bodies to identify their strengths, build connections between national and local businesses, and provide guidance on bids for innovation support.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she is taking steps with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to tackle regulatory systems that slow down research.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
Government is committed to delivering a regulatory system that is pro-innovation, easy to navigate and facilitates commercialisation of science and technology applications, as set out in the Science and Technology Framework.
Regulatory systems for life sciences are led by DHSC, and its arms-length-body the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency recently launched a new, streamlined process for clinical trial applicants. The Department works with DHSC wherever appropriate on regulatory matters; for example, delivering the Government Chief Scientific Adviser's life sciences review and supporting on the wider implementation of the O'Shaughnessy Review into commercial clinical trials.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that (a) researchers and (b) their families are able to access UK visas.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
The Government’s points-based immigration offer enables talented scientists, researchers and innovators and their families to come to the UK via tailored and fast-track visa routes. These include the Global Talent visa for talented individuals in science and technology, the Scale-up visa for individuals recruited by UK-based high-growth companies and the Skilled Worker visa for individuals with a job offer in certain sectors. The Government’s GREAT Talent campaign and website provides accessible information on visa routes for top international talent.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
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 integrate research opportunities to maximise research capacity.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
Since publication of the R&D People and Culture Strategy, the Government has been working with the R&D sector to integrate research opportunities and to maximise research capacity. To deliver the New Deal for Postgraduate Research, and as part of its Collective Talent Funding, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is currently reviewing its provision for collaborative doctoral training, working with stakeholders inside and outside of academia to integrate postgraduate research opportunities.
Alongside this, UKRI has increased the minimum stipend to ensure the UK’s offer remains internationally competitive and attractive to the full range of potential students seeking to pursue a R&D career in the UK.