Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the US Food and Drug Administration's publication entitled Roadmap to Reducing Animal Testing in Preclinical Safety Studies, published on 10 April 2025.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
It is not yet possible to replace all animal use due to the complexity of biological systems and regulatory requirements for their use. The Government has reviewed the FDA roadmap and is engaging with the MHRA on how to accelerate the science-led adoption of alternatives to the use of animals for drug development and testing. The Government will publish a strategy later this year that will support this ambition and accelerate the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods across the biosciences.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 help develop supply chains for (a) compound semiconductors and (b) other critical semiconductor materials.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This Government is supporting the development of supply chains for compound semiconductors and other critical semiconductor materials as part of our work to deliver the upcoming Industrial Strategy, which includes Digital and Technologies as a priority growth-driving sector. We recently secured a £250 million investment from one of the world’s largest manufacturers of semiconductors - Vishay Technologies – into the UK’s largest semiconductor facility as part of plans to develop large-scale compound semiconductor manufacturing in the UK, supported by the government’s Automotive Transformation Fund. Investments such as this will help develop UK supply chains in this high growth area of technology.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 help increase levels of innovation in the semiconductor industry in south Wales.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is actively driving innovation in South Wales' semiconductor industry through strategic investments, collaborative research funding, and robust international partnerships. Recent initiatives include Vishay Intertechnology’s £250 million investment in Newport, supported by the government's Automotive Transformation Fund, creating over 500 high-skilled jobs focused on advanced semiconductors critical to electric vehicle production. Additionally, UK businesses, including those in South Wales, can now participate in the EU Chips Joint Undertaking, gaining access to €1.3 billion of collaborative R&D funding. Other UK wide schemes, such as the government backed ChipStart scheme also offer extensive opportunities for start-ups, further boosting innovation in the semiconductor sector. This government remains firmly committed to working closely with the Welsh Government and industry partners, ensuring investments deliver sustained growth and strengthen economic resilience across South Wales and beyond.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the expected (a) timescale, (b) operating budget and (c) scale of the proposed National Semiconductor Institute are.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This government recognises the strategic importance of semiconductors as a critical technology for the future of the UK and a significant enabler of the government’s growth and clean energy missions. The Department recognises a number of challenges to growth of the UK semiconductor sector, including industry fragmentation and a lack of long-term innovation strategy. We are currently reviewing a range of options to address this, including a national semiconductor body that can bring together the industry and unlock growth in the sector. We will announce further details in due course.