Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the levels of planned higher education spending on particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics science on that sector.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) supports particle physics, astronomy, and nuclear physics (PPAN) via the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) PPAN programme. STFC spending on the PPAN programme was £198 million in 2023/24 and £199 million in 2025/26. These figures reflect direct programme funding; further investment is delivered through international subscriptions and infrastructure, which are managed separately.

More broadly, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has committed a record £58.5 billion investment in R&D over the next 4 years, including £38.6 billion for UKRI. STFC’s core budget is being maintained, rising from £835 million in 2025/26 to £842 million in 2029/30. Applicant-led research grants will increase from £83 million in 2026/27 to £90 million in 2029/30.

STFC faces cost pressures from rising energy, inflation, foreign exchange, and ambitious commitments from the previous SR and must find savings relative to forecast operational costs. STFC has worked with the sector to model different spending scenarios for its PPAN portfolio. The impacts of different modelled scenarios across the broad and diverse range of STFC-funded facilities and programmes will be considered alongside feedback from the sector to inform final decisions.

DSIT has asked UKRI to ensure that its specific investment decisions are informed by meaningful consultation with the scientific research community and a robust assessment of potential consequences for the UK’s scientific capability, research institutions and international standing.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much her Department spent supporting particle physics astronomy and nuclear physics science in (a) 2025/2026 and (b) 2023/24.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) supports particle physics, astronomy, and nuclear physics (PPAN) via the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) PPAN programme. STFC spending on the PPAN programme was £198 million in 2023/24 and £199 million in 2025/26. These figures reflect direct programme funding; further investment is delivered through international subscriptions and infrastructure, which are managed separately.

More broadly, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has committed a record £58.5 billion investment in R&D over the next 4 years, including £38.6 billion for UKRI. STFC’s core budget is being maintained, rising from £835 million in 2025/26 to £842 million in 2029/30. Applicant-led research grants will increase from £83 million in 2026/27 to £90 million in 2029/30.

STFC faces cost pressures from rising energy, inflation, foreign exchange, and ambitious commitments from the previous SR and must find savings relative to forecast operational costs. STFC has worked with the sector to model different spending scenarios for its PPAN portfolio. The impacts of different modelled scenarios across the broad and diverse range of STFC-funded facilities and programmes will be considered alongside feedback from the sector to inform final decisions.

DSIT has asked UKRI to ensure that its specific investment decisions are informed by meaningful consultation with the scientific research community and a robust assessment of potential consequences for the UK’s scientific capability, research institutions and international standing.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to UIN 109087 and the answer of 2 February 2026, what the funding is for Oak National Academy for 2026/2027 and 2027/2028; and when it will be published.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department has allocated a budget of £22.8 million to Oak National Academy (Oak) for the 2026/27 financial year. The level of funding for the 2027/28 financial year will be confirmed through the department’s business planning process. This funding is being allocated to Oak to enable it to carry out announced activities, which include the updating of its materials to align with the refreshed national curriculum, Oak technical support for the department’s development of the digital curriculum, and redevelopment of Oak’s reception-year resources.

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