Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions his Department has had with the Keep Britain Working team on the rate of statutory sick pay.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Sir Charlie Mayfield’s independent Keep Britain Working review report, published on 5 November 2025, aims to tackle health-related economic inactivity, with over one in five working-age adults out of the workforce, substantially because of health problems.

While not the direct focus, Statutory Sick Pay was considered as part of the Keep Britain Working Review, and we will work with the Vanguard employers to explore how to best utilise Occupational Sick Pay to generate the best outcomes for all.

The vanguard phase will consider and make recommendations to government on the incentives needed for employers and employees to deliver better work and health outcomes.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether sick pay falls within the scope of the Keep Britain Working Vanguard Taskforce.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Sir Charlie Mayfield’s independent Keep Britain Working review report, published on 5 November 2025, aims to tackle health-related economic inactivity, with over one in five working-age adults out of the workforce, substantially because of health problems.

While not the direct focus, Statutory Sick Pay was considered as part of the Keep Britain Working Review, and we will work with the Vanguard employers to explore how to best utilise Occupational Sick Pay to generate the best outcomes for all.

The vanguard phase will consider and make recommendations to government on the incentives needed for employers and employees to deliver better work and health outcomes.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the decision by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) to remove funding for the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM).

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

As part of a review of its infrastructure investments, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), within UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), has concluded that the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM) no longer represents good value for money due to rising operating and maintenance costs and limited planned usage.

Only two projects are scheduled to use the aircraft between 2027 and 2029, accounting for around 27% of available flying hours, and FAAM-related research represented a small proportion of overall investment in atmospheric science. NERC has engaged directly with affected programme leads to explore alternative ways to deliver the research, including deploying FAAM instrumentation on other platforms, or by exploring alternative approaches. NERC has already begun investing in new technologies offering lower emissions, greater responsiveness and improved cost effectiveness, including a Net Zero Aerial Capability scoping programme (in collaboration with Innovate UK) on UAV development and investments to explore further autonomous capabilities.

This decision reflects a strategic shift towards more sustainable, flexible and modern technologies. Ceasing FAAM operations will also release over £32 million for reinvestment within UK environmental science, supporting lower-emission, scalable capabilities that support broader range of researchers.

Found: 69.6%) Catherine West (Labour, Hornsey and Friern Barnet) (added 27 Oct 2025) 18 of 23 (78.3%) Yuan Yang

Found: Yuan Yang: It is not correct, as reported, that Palantir has access to all FCA datasets.

Found: Coghlan; Bobby Dean; Jim Dickson; John Glen; John Grady; Dame Siobhain McDonagh; Catherine West; Yuan Yang

Found: I will ask Yuan Yang MP to kick off. Q49 Yuan Yang: Thank you, Chair.