Asked by: Lord Watson of Wyre Forest (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of local authorities in England offer kerbside collection of waste electrical and electronic equipment; and what steps they are taking to increase kerbside collection of that equipment.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In January this year, Material Focus published research reviewing the effectiveness of public collections of small mixed WEEE and portable batteries in the UK, including kerbside collections. Material Focus is funded by the compliance fee that operates under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2013, which is paid by electrical producers if they don’t meet the annual recycling targets set by the Government. Figure 4 of Appendix A in the review (copy attached) includes a map of the 95 local authorities that provided small electrical kerbside collections in 2023. The findings indicated that although kerbside collections impacted the amount of recycling collected, the picture is complex and the 'best collection method' for each local authority may be influenced by various other important factors.
Defra recognises the importance of continued innovation in collection and treatment of waste electricals and electronics. As we develop the Circular Economy Growth Plan, we will consider the evidence for action right across the economy and evaluate what interventions may be needed. The Circular Economy Growth Plan is due to be published in early 2026.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester 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 ensure that (a) Leicester and (b) the East Midlands benefit from national investment in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is putting technology at the heart of our mission to grow the UK economy.
We are launching a £250 million procurement to expand the AI Research Resource, giving UK researchers and businesses free access to cutting‑edge compute so every region can benefit from nationwide innovation.
The Government is also expanding access to free AI skills training, available to all adults across the UK, that aims to equip 10 million workers with practical AI skills by 2030, ensuring people and businesses in every region can take advantage of new technologies.
Alone, Leicester City Council received £35,391.97 from the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund for its ‘Let’s Get Digital’ project, which will help 150 peoples, this will build digital confidence for social inclusion, reducing service dependency and improving economic outcomes.
The Government is also supporting UK medicine and med‑tech manufacturing through the £520 million Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund, bringing high‑value jobs to regions like the East Midlands, strengthening supply chains, and securing over £30 million of new investment.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment has been made of the effectiveness of financial support schemes for pupils pursuing specialist (a) musical or (b) dance training in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government will consult shortly on an improved version of Progress 8 that balances a strong academic core with breadth and student choice. It will recognise the value of subjects, including the arts, which strengthen our economy and society, and the importance of a broad pre-16 curriculum.
The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper sets out our vision for a world-leading skills system that breaks down barriers to opportunity, meets student and employers’ needs, widens access to high quality education and training, supports innovation, research, and development, and improves people’s lives.
We plan to introduce V-Levels, which will become the only pathway for vocational qualifications at level 3 for 16-19 year olds and two clear post-16 pathways at level 2, alongside technical and academic pathways. We have launched a consultation on these measures, which will close on 12 January 2026.
The department is providing £36.5 million for the Music and Dance Scheme this academic year, with future funding to be announced in due course. The scheme provides access for all students in the UK to high quality training in music and dance, such as at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey and the Royal Ballet School in Richmond upon Thames.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps are being taken to ensure that all pupils are able to pursue (a) creative or (b) vocational education pathways in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government will consult shortly on an improved version of Progress 8 that balances a strong academic core with breadth and student choice. It will recognise the value of subjects, including the arts, which strengthen our economy and society, and the importance of a broad pre-16 curriculum.
The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper sets out our vision for a world-leading skills system that breaks down barriers to opportunity, meets student and employers’ needs, widens access to high quality education and training, supports innovation, research, and development, and improves people’s lives.
We plan to introduce V-Levels, which will become the only pathway for vocational qualifications at level 3 for 16-19 year olds and two clear post-16 pathways at level 2, alongside technical and academic pathways. We have launched a consultation on these measures, which will close on 12 January 2026.
The department is providing £36.5 million for the Music and Dance Scheme this academic year, with future funding to be announced in due course. The scheme provides access for all students in the UK to high quality training in music and dance, such as at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey and the Royal Ballet School in Richmond upon Thames.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of access to (a) specialist arts or (b) vocational training for young people in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government will consult shortly on an improved version of Progress 8 that balances a strong academic core with breadth and student choice. It will recognise the value of subjects, including the arts, which strengthen our economy and society, and the importance of a broad pre-16 curriculum.
The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper sets out our vision for a world-leading skills system that breaks down barriers to opportunity, meets student and employers’ needs, widens access to high quality education and training, supports innovation, research, and development, and improves people’s lives.
We plan to introduce V-Levels, which will become the only pathway for vocational qualifications at level 3 for 16-19 year olds and two clear post-16 pathways at level 2, alongside technical and academic pathways. We have launched a consultation on these measures, which will close on 12 January 2026.
The department is providing £36.5 million for the Music and Dance Scheme this academic year, with future funding to be announced in due course. The scheme provides access for all students in the UK to high quality training in music and dance, such as at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey and the Royal Ballet School in Richmond upon Thames.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding was allocated to dementia research by (a) the National Institute for Health and Care Research and (b) UK Research and Innovation in each of the last five years.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Government responsibility for delivering dementia research is shared between the Department of Health and Social Care, with research delivered via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, with research delivered via UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
The table in the document attached shows the NIHR and UKRI’s spend data for dementia research across the five financial years from 2020/21 to 2024/25
Spend for dementia research is calculated retrospectively, with a time lag due to annual reporting cycles, therefore 2024/25 is the most recent year we have data for. The Department does not centrally hold data on dementia research funding from other public bodies, and 2024/25 data from UKRI is still being confirmed.
The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including dementia. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality. Welcoming applications on dementia to all NIHR programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of the amount of research funding a particular area can be awarded, and the type of research which can be funded.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has made plans for potential uses of the Isambard supercomputer.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This government is committed to harnessing the power of compute to enable innovations that will deliver growth and opportunity and for people across the UK.
The AI Research Resource (AIRR) is now live and is free to use for the UK’s scientists, public sector organisations, and start-ups and SMEs. It is made up of two supercomputers: Dawn at Cambridge, and Isambard-AI in Bristol – one of the world’s top 10 public supercomputers and the 4th greenest in the world. As of last month, more than 350 projects are actively running on the Isambard-AI supercomputer.
Asked by: Daniel Francis (Labour - Bexleyheath and Crayford)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help ensure that wheelchair accessible vehicles are produced in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government supports the wheelchair accessible vehicles 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 commercial scale-up, and unlock investment. As part of this ambitious programme, we are committing £4 billion of automotive capital and R&D funding to 2035.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what action her department is taking to support the use of digital twin technologies across the UK's transport system.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Since the publication in 2023 of Transport Research and Innovation Board’s Transport Digital Twin Vision and Roadmap to 2035, DfT has established a dedicated team to lead a digital twins programme, aligned with the Transport AI Action Plan (2025).
This has already enabled the development of a diverse research programme, including the £46m TransiT research hub to decarbonise transport through digital twins; and a £5m programme to improve crisis response and resilience. These are providing the new tools and skills to ensure UK leadership in this key emerging technology.
To enable business case development and improve adoption, in 2024 DfT published its Economic Benefits Analysis for Integrated Transport Digital Twins, quantifying the key benefits this technology can bring to the UK economy, estimated to £1.85bn over the next decade.
Finally, DfT has directly supported industry innovation by funding innovative digital twin projects through the Transport Research Innovation Grants and the Freight Innovation Fund, to improve rail maintenance, traffic flow, urban resilience, better EV charging infrastructure and port operations.
Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of recent UK Research and Innovation and The Science and Technology Facilities Council's decisions to reduce funding for particle physics, nuclear physics and astronomy on (a) the training and retention of highly skilled graduates and (b) the UK’s long-term economic growth, scientific capability and international standing.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT and UKRI remain committed to international scientific collaboration, and UKRI’s record £38.6 billion settlement over the Spending Review will support areas including talent, scientific capability and international collaboration, including £14 billion in curiosity-driven research that underpins long-term economic growth.
The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) within UKRI is currently consulting with the scientific community about spending priorities within their settlement ahead of determining final allocations. No final spending decisions have been made.
Due to a rising cost base, choices are required to put the council on a financially sustainable footing. As part of this consultation, STFC is working with the sector to model scenarios for its portfolio in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics. The impacts of these different spending scenarios will be considered alongside feedback from the sector when taking final decisions.
UKRI’s CEO Sir Ian Chapman has confirmed that STFC’s core budget will hold relatively flat from £835 million to £842 million over the Spending Review period. Applicant-led research in STFC will increase from £83 million in 2026/27 to £90 million by 2029/30. As legacy commitments/awards come to their conclusion, headroom will also open up for UKRI-funded research and innovation under its government and societal priorities allocation which is open for competition.
Separately, informed by independent expert advice from UKRI’s Infrastructure Advisory Committee in late December, UKRI decided to stop several Infrastructure Fund projects, including some international projects in particle physics. These decisions have enabled UKRI to continue investing in other essential projects that seek to strengthen scientific capability and attract private investment.
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 and international standing.