Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which the AI-Driven Innovation Centre, announced at the World Economic Forum in January, aligns with the UK’s artificial intelligence strategy and wider policy objectives.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
AI is already transforming how we make products, discover new medicines and power innovation in areas like financial services. Scaling up adoption across these sectors and beyond is essential to boosting productivity, creating good jobs and driving Britain’s economic renewal.
The new Centre for AI-Driven Innovation will play a central role in delivering the UK’s ambitions for AI—bringing together world-leading research, industry expertise and international partners to turn ideas into real-world impact. By accelerating progress on the AI Opportunities Action Plan, it will help the UK go further and faster in strengthening its position as a global leader and hub for innovation in the age of AI. Innovation will play a central role in delivering the UK’s ambitions for AI—bringing together world‑leading research, industry expertise and international partners to turn ideas into real‑world impact.
The Centre’s focus on driving responsible AI adoption across key sectors—including advanced manufacturing, life sciences and professional services—directly supports the Government’s aims to boost productivity, enhance technological leadership and promote the safe, trustworthy deployment of AI across the economy.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
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 her Department's (a) capital investment exposure to, (b) potential capital spending requirements resulting from and (c) overall investment portfolio resilience from an equity price correction in US stock markets.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) does not hold any direct capital investments in companies listed on US equity markets.
DSIT’s capital portfolio consists of investments approved on a case‑by‑case basis against agreed criteria, and is primarily focused on UK‑based research, innovation and infrastructure programmes, as well as government‑sponsored bodies. DSIT's investments are monitored on a portfolio basis, including assessing market and valuation risks and considering any indirect effects global market movements on the Department’s assets.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress the MRS has made in delivering mechanistic research into ME/CFS.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We do not know what ‘MRS’ refers to in this context. The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). A limited amount of mechanistic research is funded through the NIHR, but the majority of mechanistic research is funded through the Medical Research Council (MRC), a UK Research and Innovation Council sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. Mechanistic research into myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, is within the remit of the MRC.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the investment in vaccines for gingivitis or periodontitis by UK Research and Innovation.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Medical Research Council (MRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), is not currently funding any research into vaccines for gingivitis or periodontitis. MRC invests more broadly in dental and oral health research, including some periodontitis research, to aid its detection and treatment.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to support research institutions in the period before UK Research and Innovation budget allocations are determined.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In December, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) set out how it will deliver its record £38.6 billion funding allocation over the next four years. This is part of the largest ever investment in R&D made by any UK government (£86 billion up to 2029/30) and will help drive new scientific breakthroughs, help create new industries and grow businesses faster, and deliver the growth we need for good jobs and better lives.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has been in active dialogue with UKRI to ensure that any implications from funding decisions are fully understood and that they reflect both the UK’s strategic research priorities and its global commitments. DSIT has asked UKRI to ensure that its final allocations are informed by meaningful consultation with the research community and a robust assessment of potential consequences for the UK’s scientific capability.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 27 January (HL13553), who is responsible for conducting the research into grooming gang perpetrators' backgrounds and motivations; when that research is expected to be complete; and when that research will be published.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Secretary has commissioned UK Research and Innovation to deliver this new programme of research, which will address evidence gaps in our understanding of the backgrounds, motivations, and drivers of group-based child sexual exploitation offending. We expect the programme of research to be a multi-year project, with individual research projects reporting through its duration. Further details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she had made of the potential implications for her policies of the British Dyslexia Association's report entitled Lost in the system: Councils’ blind spot on dyslexia, published on 3 February 2026.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
As reflected in the British Dyslexia Association’s report, the effective early identification and intervention is critical in improving the outcomes of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. In an inclusive education system, settings should be confident in accurately assessing children and young people’s learning and development and meeting any educational needs with evidence-based responses.
There are a number of national assessments already in place to measure progress and help teachers identify where pupils may require additional support with literacy, such as the phonics screening check, and end of key stage 2 assessments. A range of measures have also been introduced that aim to support the effective teaching of reading, including for those with special education needs and disabilities or those at risk of falling behind. This includes the English Hubs programme, the reading and writing frameworks, the Reading Ambition for All programme and the published list of department-validated high-quality phonics programmes for schools.
To further support settings to identify need early, we are strengthening the evidence base of what works to improve early identification in mainstream settings, including through collaboration with UK Research Innovation.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of local authorities' guidance on how to (a) assess or (b) identify (i) dyslexia or (ii) support literacy difficulties.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
As reflected in the British Dyslexia Association’s report, the effective early identification and intervention is critical in improving the outcomes of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. In an inclusive education system, settings should be confident in accurately assessing children and young people’s learning and development and meeting any educational needs with evidence-based responses.
There are a number of national assessments already in place to measure progress and help teachers identify where pupils may require additional support with literacy, such as the phonics screening check, and end of key stage 2 assessments. A range of measures have also been introduced that aim to support the effective teaching of reading, including for those with special education needs and disabilities or those at risk of falling behind. This includes the English Hubs programme, the reading and writing frameworks, the Reading Ambition for All programme and the published list of department-validated high-quality phonics programmes for schools.
To further support settings to identify need early, we are strengthening the evidence base of what works to improve early identification in mainstream settings, including through collaboration with UK Research Innovation.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government at what stage of development is the Department for Education Content Store; what information, if any, it contains about pupils; who has access to it; for what purposes; and how ongoing developments will be reported to Parliament or made public.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Education Content Store programme is currently preparing for public beta phase. This phase will provide access, on a test basis, to publicly available materials which have been optimised for use with artificial intelligence. This will not include pupil work.
The Education Content Store contains no information about pupils. A limited amount of anonymised pupil work was included in the pilot, with written permission from parents.
During the pilot phase, a small number of British educational technology companies had access to the content store. Some of these were selected through the Contracts for Innovation competition with UK Research and Innovation, and others were participating in non-commercial user testing activities. The pilot phase has now ended, and only those working on the development of the store, or related programmes across government, including the National Data Library, currently have access.
We will publish a full report on the content store pilot phase before the end of the academic year.
Asked by: Antonia Bance (Labour - Tipton and Wednesbury)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Motability Scheme on supporting the British automotive industry.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Motability has stated that its aim is for 50% of all scheme vehicles leased from 2035 to be manufactured in the UK. We are committed to the growth of the automotive sector in the UK through investment in innovation, research & development and skills. Our flagship DRIVE35 (Driving Research and Investment in Vehicle Electrification) initiative will support the latest R&D in strategic vehicle technologies, accelerate their commercial scale-up, and unlock investment in their industrialisation. As part of this ambitious programme, we are committing £4 billion of capital and R&D funding to the British automotive industry through to 2035.