Every parliamentary written question tabled by Ben Obese-Jecty this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 21–40 of 258 · Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the UK deploying a sovereign maritime cable repair capability.
The Government recognises the importance of a UK-based and UK-flagged subsea telecoms cable repair vessel. This enables a rapid response to cable breaks in UK waters and ensures that vessel is under UK jurisdiction. DSIT is exploring options for securing ...
Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Answer of 16 April 2026 to question 126825 on Animal Experiments, with which countries is she currently scoping opportunities for international engagement at a) mu
The Government is positioning the UK as a global leader in alternative methods and we are currently scoping opportunities for international engagement at both multilateral and bilateral levels, including through partnerships with international regulators ...
Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 16 April 2026 to question 126825 on Animal Experiments, what progress has she made regarding reform of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
The Government is strengthening regulatory confidence in alternative methods through working closely with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), including steps to support the assessment and use of non‑animal data in medicines reg...
Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 16 April 2026 to question 126825 on Animal Experiments, by what date in 2026 does she plan to publish a delivery update.
The Government will publish a delivery update, alongside key performance indicators on progress across all elements of the Replacing Animals in Science strategy, later in 2026. A specific publication date has not yet been set.
Innovation and Technology, which projects are being delivered by the Advanced Research and Invention Agency.
The Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) is funding world-leading research in a range of areas, including AI, compute, biomedical, climate and robotics. ARIA focuses on funding transformational research with long term benefits. More detail on ARI...
Innovation and Technology, what is the scope of Project REFLECT under the Advanced Research and Invention Agency.
The Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) is an independent research body, and they are conducting cautious, controlled research aimed at improving understanding of the risks and impacts of Solar Radiation Modification. This will produce important...
Innovation and Technology, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress her Department has made in (a) developing AI prediction tools and (b) obtaining kinetic data from combining tests with general toxicity testing.
This is an area of extensive effort across industry and stakeholders. NC3Rs are funding development of a virtual dog to replace dogs in second species testing (Virtual Second Species Innovation Platform). We continue working with partners to develop resources to expand these efforts.The strategy has not committed to obtaining kinetic data. Basket 2 sets out long‑term ambitions that must be science‑led, partnership‑based and delivered over time.The strategy aims to use validated alternative methods to reduce use of dogs and non‑human primates in dedicated Pharmacokinetic studies for human medicines by at least 35% by 2030.
Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made on establishing the Alternative Methods Strategy Delivery Group.
The Alternative Methods Strategy Delivery Group first met on 24 February 2026, and its next meeting is scheduled for 28 April 2026.
With reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress he has made in replacing adventitious agent testing in animals.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 April 2026 to Question 128366.
Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made on working with regulatory agencies to accelerate the replacement of the Rabbit Pyrogen Test with the Monocyte Activation Test across UK guidelines.
Rabbit pyrogen tests were removed from the British Pharmacopeia in 2025 under this Government, meaning that no rabbit pyrogenicity testing should now be conducted in the UK for any pharmacopoeial pyrogen testing purposes. International (ISO) standards for medical devices may require the use of rabbit pyrogen testing for market authorisation for non-UK markets. Where this is the case Prospective Authorisation would need to be granted by the Home Office, no such tests were carried out in 2025. We are working with the Home Office to ensure that no new licences are approved that include the use of the rabbit pyrogen tests where validated alternatives are available.
Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made on replacing the rabbit pyrogen test.
Rabbit pyrogen tests were removed from the British Pharmacopeia in 2025 under this Government, meaning that no rabbit pyrogenicity testing should now be conducted in the UK for any pharmacopoeial pyrogen testing purposes. International (ISO) standards for medical devices may require the use of rabbit pyrogen testing for market authorisation for non-UK markets. Where this is the case Prospective Authorisation would need to be granted by the Home Office, no such tests were carried out in 2025. We are working with the Home Office to ensure that no new licences are approved that include the use of the rabbit pyrogen tests where validated alternatives are available.
Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made on applying only validated alternative methods for pharmacopoeial pyrogen testing.
Rabbit pyrogen tests were removed from the British Pharmacopeia in 2025 under this Government, meaning that no rabbit pyrogenicity testing should now be conducted in the UK for any pharmacopoeial pyrogen testing purposes. International (ISO) standards for medical devices may require the use of rabbit pyrogen testing for market authorisation for non-UK markets. Where this is the case Prospective Authorisation would need to be granted by the Home Office, no such tests were carried out in 2025. We are working with the Home Office to ensure that no new licences are approved that include the use of the rabbit pyrogen tests where validated alternatives are available.
Innovation and Technology, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made in reducing animal use in cardiovascular safety studies.
Basket 2 of the strategy outlines long‑term ambitions which must be science‑led, partnership‑based, and delivered over time.Innovate UK in partnership with NC3Rs launched a funding call supporting the development and commercialisation of alternative methods for assessing the preclinical cardiovascular safety of new medicines: Contracts for Innovation: industrial human relevant drug models – UKRI. This follows work led by IUK and NC3Rs to build a community around this opportunity. https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/contracts-for-innovation-industrial-human-relevant-drug-models/The strategy aims to use validated alternative methods to reduce the use of non‑human primates and dogs in dedicated cardiovascular safety studies by at least 50% by 2030.
Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made on collecting data annually on the number of clinical trial applications that include toxicity tests conducted in 2 species.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 20th April to Question UIN 125672.
Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made on restarting the survey on public attitudes to animal research.
A competition has been launched to secure support in delivering the next waves of the survey on public attitudes to animal research. Feedback from key stakeholders has been sought on the survey questions from the last wave.
Innovation and Technology, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made in obtaining the full validation of the Comprehensive in vitro Proarrhythmia Assay (CiPA) initiative to predict the proarrhythmic potential of new drugs.
The strategy has not committed to obtaining the full validation of the Comprehensive in vitro Proarrhythmia Assay (CiPA) initiative to predict the proarrhythmic potential of new drugs.Basket 2 of the strategy outlines long‑term ambitions which must be science‑led, partnership‑based, and delivered over time.The strategy aims to use validated alternative methods to reduce the use of dogs and non-human primates in dedicated Pharmacokinetic studies for human medicines by at least 35% by 2030.
Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made on commissioning the Animals in Science Committee to recommend corporate responsibility reporting expectations by establishments using animals on their use of alternatives.
We are engaging with the Home Office to agree the most effective way to work with the ASC to deliver this commitment, aligned with existing ASC programmes of work. The Government will publish a delivery update, alongside key performance indicators on progress across all elements of the strategy, later in 2026.
Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made on awarding the first round of Validation Accelerator grants.
The Validation Accelerator grant commitment is being led by UKRI and will be delivered through a number of mechanisms, For example, Innovate UK’s £2 million Contracts for Innovation: Industrial Human‑Relevant Drug Models competition, launched in February 2026, supports the development and commercialisation of non‑animal methods to assess the pre‑clinical pharmacokinetics and cardiovascular safety of new medicines.Validation Accelerators will be coordinated by the UK Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (UKCVAM), once it is established. £30 million has been allocated to support its establishment and delivery.
Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made on creating a publicly available dashboard of progress against key deliverables.
The Government will publish a delivery update on progress across all elements of the strategy including the key performance indicators dashboard later in 2026.
Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made on developing mechanisms to enable regulators to increase uptake of the MHRA’s scientific advice service.
The strategy sets out seven commitments to increase confidence in the validation and regulatory uptake of alternative methods.On 24 March, the MHRA announced it will offer early regulatory review of non‑animal data, including data generated using in silico approaches, to provide clarity on how such data will be assessed ahead of clinical trials. MHRA is the first UK regulator to offer this service, setting a precedent which the Government expects other regulators to follow.The Government will publish a delivery update, including the regulatory elements of the strategy, later in 2026.