Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has plans to consult people with lived experience of self-harm and suicide on the implementation of the Online Safety Act 2023.
Answered by Feryal Clark
The government engages regularly with social media and search services and is clear that they should be taking action now to make their services safe for users.
Under the Online Safety Act, in-scope services must prevent all users from encountering illegal suicide and self-harm content, and children from legal content which encourages, promotes or provides instructions for suicide and self-harm.
The government are committed to continuing to engage with those with lived experience and keeping online safety policy under review and will take whatever steps are needed to protect the public.
Asked by: Simon Hoare (Conservative - North Dorset)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the coverage is of 5G in Dorset; and what steps he is taking to improve 5G coverage in rural areas.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I have raised my concerns about the reporting of mobile connectivity with Ofcom, but Ofcom reports that 5G is available outside 86% of premises across the Dorset local authority area from at least one mobile operator.
In order to realise the full economic and social benefits of 5G, our ambition is for all populated areas, including communities in rural areas, to have higher-quality standalone 5G by 2030.
We work closely with the mobile industry and are committed to ensuring we have the right policy and regulatory framework to support investment and competition in the market. As part of this work, the Government intends to reform the planning system to make it easier to build digital infrastructure.
Asked by: Baroness Penn (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 18 December 2024 (HL3350), what is the status of each of the recommendations made by the Chief Medical Officers in their commentary on Screen-based activities and children and young people’s mental health and psychosocial wellbeing: a systematic map of reviews, published on 7 February 2019.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) is an independent advisor to the Government, and any CMO reports are produced independently. The recommendations are advisory, to inform policy development.
In June 2019, at the request of the then United Kingdom’s CMOs, the then Chief Scientific Advisor convened a workshop to bring together a range of academic experts and funding bodies to discuss future research possibilities around screen-based activities and children and young people’s mental health. The workshop aimed to identify avenues for undertaking future research and funding in this area, and recommended that a methodology panel was convened to improve research methods, and that children and young people’s user needs were scoped out, to determine research priorities.
These recommendations align with the UK Mental Health Research Goals for 2020 - 2030, which includes developing research to halve the number of children and young people experiencing persistent mental health problems. The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) continues to commission research in this area to support and improve evidence-based practice. As part of this, the NIHR is currently funding research to explore the impact that school policies which restrict daytime use of smartphones and social media have on adolescent mental wellbeing.
The Department for Education is currently reviewing the statutory guidance on teaching relationships, health, and sex education, and as part of this, will consider whether additional or revised content should be included in the guidance, including content regarding online safety and harm.
Since 2022, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has provided £3 million in funding for media literacy projects that empower users to navigate the online world safely. In 2024, this included £500,000 to scale up two programmes to provide media literacy support to teachers, children aged 11 to 16 years old, and other professionals working with families, parents, and carers.
The Online Safety Act updated Ofcom’s statutory duty to promote media literacy and to raise the public’s awareness of the nature and impact of harmful content and online behaviour. Ofcom has published a three-year media literacy strategy which includes investigating specific impacts of platform design on user safety, such as the impact of persuasive design on children. The Government looks forward to working with them as they implement these strategies.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the (a) job title, (b) unit or division and (c) grade is of each job advertised on Civil Service Jobs but not to the public since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
For the period, 4 July to 31 December 2024, 179 vacancies (67.6%) were advertised externally. 58 job vacancies (32.4% of total advertised) were advertised as Across Government only campaigns.
This data set reflects campaigns that were advertised and appointments made within this period – it does not include expressions of interest.
Further detail of across government campaigns, job titles and grade:
Departmental group | Grade breakdown | Job title | Grade |
Corporate Group | 3x Grade 6 5x Grade 7 6x SEO | Careers and Development Lead | Grade 7 |
Physical Security Lead | SEO | ||
Workforce Team | Grade 6 | ||
Statistician | Grade 7 | ||
Ministerial Team Security Advisers | SEO | ||
Head of Programme Delivery | Grade 6 | ||
Deputy Head of Profession | Grade 7 | ||
Product Manager | SEO | ||
Assistant Departmental Records Officer | SEO | ||
Senior Product Manager | Grade 7 | ||
Private Secretary & Business Manager | SEO | ||
Live Services Manager | SEO | ||
Subject Matter Expert | Grade 7 | ||
Local Government and Public Services | 1x HEO | Communications Officer | HEO |
Local Growth, Communities and Devolution | 6x Grade 6 5x Grade 7 5x SEO 3x HEO | Delivery Manager | SEO |
Head of Unit | Grade 6 | ||
Head of Unit | Grade 6 | ||
Policy Lead | Grade 7 | ||
Head of Policy | Grade 7 | ||
Business Support Officer | HEO | ||
Head of Office | Grade 7 | ||
Programme Manager | Grade 6 | ||
Programme Management Office Manager | Grade 7 | ||
Senior Policy Advisor | SEO | ||
Risk and Issue Manager | SEO | ||
Strategy Policy Advisor | HEO | ||
Policy lead | Grade 6 | ||
Fund Evaluator | SEO | ||
Head of Elections Data | Grade 6 | ||
Policy & Funding Analysis | Grade 6 | ||
Policy Advisor | SEO | ||
Senior Strategy Advisor | Grade 7 | ||
Policy Advisor | HEO | ||
Regeneration, Housing and Planning | 4x Grade 6 7x Grade 7 4x SEO 1x HEO | Policy Team Lead | Grade 7 |
Head of Strategy | Grade 6 | ||
Senior Policy Advisor | Grade 7 | ||
Senior Policy and Strategy Advisors | Grade 7 | ||
Head of Housing Insights & Strategic Policy | Grade 6 | ||
Social Housing Directorate SEOs | SEO | ||
Property Technology Strategy Advisor | Grade 7 | ||
Policy Advisor | SEO | ||
Policy Officer | HEO | ||
Policy Advisor | SEO | ||
Senior Policy Advisor | Grade 7 | ||
Private Secretary | Grade 7 | ||
Head of Programme Management Office | Grade 6 | ||
Project Manager | SEO | ||
Head of Evaluation & Insight | Grade 7 | ||
Head of Economic Analysis | Grade 6 | ||
Senior Policy Adviser | SEO | ||
Safer and Greener Buildings | 1x Grade 6 3x SEO 1x HEO | Construction Products Policy Adviser | SEO |
Community Relationship Manager | SEO | ||
Policy Advisor | HEO | ||
Policy and Briefing Advisor | SEO | ||
Lead Technical Architect | Grade 6 | ||
Strategy and Communications | 1x Grade 6 1x Grade 7 1x HEO | Head of Data Science | Grade 6 |
Videographer | HEO | ||
Senior Private Secretary/Head of Office | Grade 7 |
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of job vacancies in her Department have been externally advertised since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
For the period, 4 July to 31 December 2024, 179 vacancies (67.6%) were advertised externally. 58 job vacancies (32.4% of total advertised) were advertised as Across Government only campaigns.
This data set reflects campaigns that were advertised and appointments made within this period – it does not include expressions of interest.
Further detail of across government campaigns, job titles and grade:
Departmental group | Grade breakdown | Job title | Grade |
Corporate Group | 3x Grade 6 5x Grade 7 6x SEO | Careers and Development Lead | Grade 7 |
Physical Security Lead | SEO | ||
Workforce Team | Grade 6 | ||
Statistician | Grade 7 | ||
Ministerial Team Security Advisers | SEO | ||
Head of Programme Delivery | Grade 6 | ||
Deputy Head of Profession | Grade 7 | ||
Product Manager | SEO | ||
Assistant Departmental Records Officer | SEO | ||
Senior Product Manager | Grade 7 | ||
Private Secretary & Business Manager | SEO | ||
Live Services Manager | SEO | ||
Subject Matter Expert | Grade 7 | ||
Local Government and Public Services | 1x HEO | Communications Officer | HEO |
Local Growth, Communities and Devolution | 6x Grade 6 5x Grade 7 5x SEO 3x HEO | Delivery Manager | SEO |
Head of Unit | Grade 6 | ||
Head of Unit | Grade 6 | ||
Policy Lead | Grade 7 | ||
Head of Policy | Grade 7 | ||
Business Support Officer | HEO | ||
Head of Office | Grade 7 | ||
Programme Manager | Grade 6 | ||
Programme Management Office Manager | Grade 7 | ||
Senior Policy Advisor | SEO | ||
Risk and Issue Manager | SEO | ||
Strategy Policy Advisor | HEO | ||
Policy lead | Grade 6 | ||
Fund Evaluator | SEO | ||
Head of Elections Data | Grade 6 | ||
Policy & Funding Analysis | Grade 6 | ||
Policy Advisor | SEO | ||
Senior Strategy Advisor | Grade 7 | ||
Policy Advisor | HEO | ||
Regeneration, Housing and Planning | 4x Grade 6 7x Grade 7 4x SEO 1x HEO | Policy Team Lead | Grade 7 |
Head of Strategy | Grade 6 | ||
Senior Policy Advisor | Grade 7 | ||
Senior Policy and Strategy Advisors | Grade 7 | ||
Head of Housing Insights & Strategic Policy | Grade 6 | ||
Social Housing Directorate SEOs | SEO | ||
Property Technology Strategy Advisor | Grade 7 | ||
Policy Advisor | SEO | ||
Policy Officer | HEO | ||
Policy Advisor | SEO | ||
Senior Policy Advisor | Grade 7 | ||
Private Secretary | Grade 7 | ||
Head of Programme Management Office | Grade 6 | ||
Project Manager | SEO | ||
Head of Evaluation & Insight | Grade 7 | ||
Head of Economic Analysis | Grade 6 | ||
Senior Policy Adviser | SEO | ||
Safer and Greener Buildings | 1x Grade 6 3x SEO 1x HEO | Construction Products Policy Adviser | SEO |
Community Relationship Manager | SEO | ||
Policy Advisor | HEO | ||
Policy and Briefing Advisor | SEO | ||
Lead Technical Architect | Grade 6 | ||
Strategy and Communications | 1x Grade 6 1x Grade 7 1x HEO | Head of Data Science | Grade 6 |
Videographer | HEO | ||
Senior Private Secretary/Head of Office | Grade 7 |
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2024 to Question 901299 on Long Covid: Health Services, what strategies he recently discussed with stakeholders to stimulate further research into treatments for long covid.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
On 17 October 2024, I co-chaired a roundtable of researchers and people with lived experience to discuss long COVID research. I highlighted the importance of research in supporting this community, as well as recognising the significant burden of disease. We also discussed next steps for long COVID research, including supporting implementation science and knowledge mobilisation to ensure results translate into policy and practice, supporting researchers and industry partners to deliver intervention studies for new and repurposed treatments, capitalising on synergies with research on other post-viral syndromes, and ensuring long COVID researchers are supported to apply for further funding.
Asked by: Melanie Ward (Labour - Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on research into lobular breast cancer.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
Cancer research is a critical priority for the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, and their operational delivery partners, like the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the Medical Research Council (MRC). Department of Health and Social Care and Department of Science, Innovation and Technology officials meet regularly to discuss a range of research investments, including lobular and other breast cancers, to drive the maximum collective research impact on policy, practice, and individual lives.
The Department invests £1.5 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the NIHR. The NIHR spends more on cancer than any other disease group, at over £121.8 million in 2022/23, reflecting its high priority. The NIHR awarded funding to 53 new research projects on breast cancer in the period 2018/19 to 2022/23, to a total value of £31 million.
Cancer is also one of the largest areas of investment for the MRC with an annual spend of approximately £125 million, including investment in the Francis Crick Institute. In addition, other parts of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) spend approximately £75 million annually. Over five years, between 2018 and 2022, the average funding awarded by UKRI, including the MRC, to breast cancer research was approximately £10 million per year.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps they are taking to use (a) artificial intelligence and (b) data to help increase their Department's productivity.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is committed to improving its productivity, including through artificial intelligence (AI), and effective use of data. To make AI and data work, the Department has focused on establishing the enablers for adopting AI responsibly, ethically, and at low cost, to ensure a high return on investment via productivity gains while also maintaining or improving process outcomes. Specifically, implementing governance and delivery structures that pool internal experts from across the Department and bring the consideration of ethics, information governance, cyber security, data science, analysis, and technology in line with guidance offered by the Central Digital and Data Office.
The Department has developed proof-of-concept projects to test these structures, including a Parliamentary Intelligence tool that saves 40 hours per week of staff time and improves the quality of insights, and a partially automated approach to consultation analysis that reduces the cost and time to analyse large consultations, while respecting The Gunning Principles.
The Department draws on a range of resources, published on GOV.UK, to inform our AI and data usage. For example, the Generative AI Framework, the Data Maturity Assessment, the Ethics, Transparency and Accountability Framework, the Data Ethics Framework, and the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard. The Department of Health and Social Care also has access to the Central Digital and Data Office, based in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, for expert advice.
Underpinning the Department’s approach to AI is shaping a data driven culture in the Department to support and enhance data science and data analysis capabilities, providing high quality data and data products in a secure, safe, legal, and ethical way. The Department has a large and mature analytical function who put data and insights at the heart of decision making and policy development. For example, the Data Hub that collates nearly 500 metrics in 27 dashboards across 13 topic areas, providing data and insights on-demand to inform decisions. The Department does not currently have any plans to implement automated decision-making systems, and people remain in full control of decision making, with AI augmenting their work.
The Department will continue to regularly review usage of AI and data to maximise productivity benefits for staff and the public.
Asked by: Paul Davies (Labour - Colne Valley)
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 ensure that people in Colne Valley constituency can access a 5G signal by 2030.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ofcom reports that basic (non-standalone) 5G is already available outside 83% of premises across the Colne Valley constituency from at least one mobile operator.
But in order to realise the full economic and social benefits of 5G, our ambition is for all populated areas, including those in the Colne Valley, to have higher-quality standalone 5G by 2030.
We work closely with the mobile industry and are committed to ensuring we have the right policy and regulatory framework to support investment and competition in the market. As part of this work, the Government intends to reform the planning system to make it easier to build digital infrastructure.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Education Secretary on the potential merits of teaching awareness of social media.
Answered by Feryal Clark
The government is working to make the internet safer, through the Online Safety Act to ensure platforms limit harmful content and by helping citizens gain skills to navigate the online world.
Digital and media literacy skills are taught through several compulsory subjects within the school curriculum. This includes evaluating digital content, the implications of sharing personal data, harmful content and contact, cyberbullying, and over-reliance on social media. DSIT and DfE ministers collaborate to ensure these skills are integrated into education policy. The Government has also commissioned an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review which will consider digital and critical thinking skills.