Written questions by Obese-Jecty.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions his Department has had with Swissmedic regarding the regulatory approval of New Approach Methods.

The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”. The Government is working to understand the international drivers and challenges to integrating non-animal methods into regulatory safety testing. This includes engaging with government scientists and regulators, including the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Food Standards Agency and Environment Agency, as well as international medicines and chemicals regulators as to how we will take this commitment forward.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions his Department has had with the US Food and Drug Administration regarding the regulatory approval of New Approach Methods.

The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”. The Government is working to understand the international drivers and challenges to integrating non-animal methods into regulatory safety testing. This includes engaging with government scientists and regulators, including the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Food Standards Agency and Environment Agency, as well as international medicines and chemicals regulators as to how we will take this commitment forward.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions his Department has had with the European Medicines Agency regarding the regulatory approval of New Approach Methods.

The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”. The Government is working to understand the international drivers and challenges to integrating non-animal methods into regulatory safety testing. This includes engaging with government scientists and regulators, including the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Food Standards Agency and Environment Agency, as well as international medicines and chemicals regulators as to how we will take this commitment forward.

Innovation and Technology, how much funding his Department plans to allocate to scientific research projects in Antarctica.

The British Antarctic Survey’s current allocation from UK Research and Innovation’s Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is £116 million for 2024/25.DSIT's R&D budget is rising to £13.9 billion for the 2025/26 financial year. The Department will announce further details on the allocation of the budget in 2025/26 in due course. Last July, the Chancellor launched a multi-year spending review, which will conclude in June 2025, and will allow government to set out its spending plans for science and technology investment over the longer-term.

Innovation and Technology, how much funding his Department allocated to the British Antarctic Survey in the 2024-25 financial year.

The British Antarctic Survey’s current allocation from UK Research and Innovation’s Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is £116 million for 2024/25.DSIT's R&D budget is rising to £13.9 billion for the 2025/26 financial year. The Department will announce further details on the allocation of the budget in 2025/26 in due course. Last July, the Chancellor launched a multi-year spending review, which will conclude in June 2025, and will allow government to set out its spending plans for science and technology investment over the longer-term.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK position on EU's Research and Innovation Framework Programme, published on 26 September 2024, what discussions he has had with UK Research and Innovation on the UK’s approach to the European Union’s Research and Innovation Framework Programme 10 since that paper was published.

In advance of the publication of the UK’s Position Paper on the European Union’s 10th Research and Innovation Framework Programme (FP10), the Government undertook extensive engagement with a range of stakeholders across Government including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and its constituent councils, as well as with relevant representatives of business and university sectors. This engagement was used to inform the paper. Since then, the Department has remained in regular contact with a wide range of stakeholders on our approach to EU Research and Innovation Programmes, including through regular stakeholder meetings and public-facing engagements such as the Horizon Europe roadshows in Belfast and Cardiff. Such engagement will continue as further detail on FP10 emerges from the EU.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK position on EU's Research and Innovation Framework Programme, published on 26 September 2024, what discussions he has had with the Economic and Social Research Council on the UK’s approach to the European Union’s Research and Innovation Framework Programme 10 since that paper was published.

In advance of the publication of the UK’s Position Paper on the European Union’s 10th Research and Innovation Framework Programme (FP10), the Government undertook extensive engagement with a range of stakeholders across Government including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and its constituent councils, as well as with relevant representatives of business and university sectors. This engagement was used to inform the paper. Since then, the Department has remained in regular contact with a wide range of stakeholders on our approach to EU Research and Innovation Programmes, including through regular stakeholder meetings and public-facing engagements such as the Horizon Europe roadshows in Belfast and Cardiff. Such engagement will continue as further detail on FP10 emerges from the EU.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK position on EU's Research and Innovation Framework Programme, published on 26 September 2024, what discussions he has had with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council on the UK’s approach to the European Union’s Research and Innovation Framework Programme 10 since that paper was published.

In advance of the publication of the UK’s Position Paper on the European Union’s 10th Research and Innovation Framework Programme (FP10), the Government undertook extensive engagement with a range of stakeholders across Government including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and its constituent councils, as well as with relevant representatives of business and university sectors. This engagement was used to inform the paper. Since then, the Department has remained in regular contact with a wide range of stakeholders on our approach to EU Research and Innovation Programmes, including through regular stakeholder meetings and public-facing engagements such as the Horizon Europe roadshows in Belfast and Cardiff. Such engagement will continue as further detail on FP10 emerges from the EU.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK position on EU's Research and Innovation Framework Programme, published on 26 September 2024, what discussions he has had with Research England on the UK’s approach to the European Union’s Research and Innovation Framework Programme 10 since that paper was published.

In advance of the publication of the UK’s Position Paper on the European Union’s 10th Research and Innovation Framework Programme (FP10), the Government undertook extensive engagement with a range of stakeholders across Government including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and its constituent councils, as well as with relevant representatives of business and university sectors. This engagement was used to inform the paper. Since then, the Department has remained in regular contact with a wide range of stakeholders on our approach to EU Research and Innovation Programmes, including through regular stakeholder meetings and public-facing engagements such as the Horizon Europe roadshows in Belfast and Cardiff. Such engagement will continue as further detail on FP10 emerges from the EU.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK position on EU's Research and Innovation Framework Programme, published on 26 September 2024, what discussions he has had with the Medical Research Council on the UK’s approach to the European Union’s Research and Innovation Framework Programme 10 since that paper was published.

In advance of the publication of the UK’s Position Paper on the European Union’s 10th Research and Innovation Framework Programme (FP10), the Government undertook extensive engagement with a range of stakeholders across Government including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and its constituent councils, as well as with relevant representatives of business and university sectors. This engagement was used to inform the paper. Since then, the Department has remained in regular contact with a wide range of stakeholders on our approach to EU Research and Innovation Programmes, including through regular stakeholder meetings and public-facing engagements such as the Horizon Europe roadshows in Belfast and Cardiff. Such engagement will continue as further detail on FP10 emerges from the EU.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK position on EU's Research and Innovation Framework Programme, published on 26 September 2024, what discussions he has had with universities on the UK’s approach to the European Union’s Research and Innovation Framework Programme 10 since that paper was published, broken down by each university.

In advance of the publication of the UK’s Position Paper on the European Union’s 10th Research and Innovation Framework Programme (FP10), the Government undertook extensive engagement with a range of stakeholders across Government including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and its constituent councils, as well as with relevant representatives of business and university sectors. This engagement was used to inform the paper. Since then, the Department has remained in regular contact with a wide range of stakeholders on our approach to EU Research and Innovation Programmes, including through regular stakeholder meetings and public-facing engagements such as the Horizon Europe roadshows in Belfast and Cardiff. Such engagement will continue as further detail on FP10 emerges from the EU.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK position on EU's Research and Innovation Framework Programme, published on 26 September 2024, what discussions he has had with Innovate UK on the UK’s approach to the European Union’s Research and Innovation Framework Programme 10 since that paper was published.

In advance of the publication of the UK’s Position Paper on the European Union’s 10th Research and Innovation Framework Programme (FP10), the Government undertook extensive engagement with a range of stakeholders across Government including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and its constituent councils, as well as with relevant representatives of business and university sectors. This engagement was used to inform the paper. Since then, the Department has remained in regular contact with a wide range of stakeholders on our approach to EU Research and Innovation Programmes, including through regular stakeholder meetings and public-facing engagements such as the Horizon Europe roadshows in Belfast and Cardiff. Such engagement will continue as further detail on FP10 emerges from the EU.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK position on EU's Research and Innovation Framework Programme, published on 26 September 2024, what discussions he has had with the Natural Environment Research Council on the UK’s approach to the European Union’s Research and Innovation Framework Programme 10 since that paper was published.

In advance of the publication of the UK’s Position Paper on the European Union’s 10th Research and Innovation Framework Programme (FP10), the Government undertook extensive engagement with a range of stakeholders across Government including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and its constituent councils, as well as with relevant representatives of business and university sectors. This engagement was used to inform the paper. Since then, the Department has remained in regular contact with a wide range of stakeholders on our approach to EU Research and Innovation Programmes, including through regular stakeholder meetings and public-facing engagements such as the Horizon Europe roadshows in Belfast and Cardiff. Such engagement will continue as further detail on FP10 emerges from the EU.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 14 February 2025 to Question 29596 on Artificial Intelligence: Safety, under which new legislation he plans to criminalise possessing, creating or distributing AI tools designed to generate harmful content.

We are committed to giving law enforcement agencies the powers needed to combat child sexual abuse. That is why we have introduced an offence in the Crime and Policing Bill to criminalise AI models which have been optimised to create child sexual abuse material.UK law is clear – creating, possessing, or distributing child sexual abuse images, including those that are AI generated, is already illegal. This world leading offence makes it a crime to possess, adapt, supply or offer to supply an AI model that has been fine-tuned by offenders to create the most severe forms of child sexual abuse material.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK position on EU's Research and Innovation Framework Programme, published on 26 September 2024, what discussions he has had with businesses on the UK’s approach to the European Union’s Research and Innovation Framework Programme 10 since that paper was published, broken down by business.

In advance of the publication of the UK’s Position Paper on the European Union’s 10th Research and Innovation Framework Programme (FP10), the Government undertook extensive engagement with a range of stakeholders across Government including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and its constituent councils, as well as with relevant representatives of business and university sectors. This engagement was used to inform the paper. Since then, the Department has remained in regular contact with a wide range of stakeholders on our approach to EU Research and Innovation Programmes, including through regular stakeholder meetings and public-facing engagements such as the Horizon Europe roadshows in Belfast and Cardiff. Such engagement will continue as further detail on FP10 emerges from the EU.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to his policy paper entitled UK position on EU's Research and Innovation Framework Programme, published on 26 September 2024, what discussions he has had with the Advanced Research and Invention Agency on the UK’s approach to the EU's Research and Innovation Framework Programme 10 since September 2024.

In advance of the publication of the UK’s Position Paper on the European Union’s 10th Research and Innovation Framework Programme (FP10), the Government undertook extensive engagement with a range of stakeholders across Government including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and its constituent councils, as well as with relevant representatives of business and university sectors. This engagement was used to inform the paper. Since then, the Department has remained in regular contact with a wide range of stakeholders on our approach to EU Research and Innovation Programmes, including through regular stakeholder meetings and public-facing engagements such as the Horizon Europe roadshows in Belfast and Cardiff. Such engagement will continue as further detail on FP10 emerges from the EU.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK position on EU's Research and Innovation Framework Programme, published on 26 September 2024, what discussions he has had with the Science and Technology Facilities Council on the UK’s approach to the European Union’s Research and Innovation Framework Programme 10 since that paper was published.

In advance of the publication of the UK’s Position Paper on the European Union’s 10th Research and Innovation Framework Programme (FP10), the Government undertook extensive engagement with a range of stakeholders across Government including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and its constituent councils, as well as with relevant representatives of business and university sectors. This engagement was used to inform the paper. Since then, the Department has remained in regular contact with a wide range of stakeholders on our approach to EU Research and Innovation Programmes, including through regular stakeholder meetings and public-facing engagements such as the Horizon Europe roadshows in Belfast and Cardiff. Such engagement will continue as further detail on FP10 emerges from the EU.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK position on EU's Research and Innovation Framework Programme, published on 26 September 2024, what discussions he has had with the Arts and Humanities Research Council on the UK’s approach to the European Union’s Research and Innovation Framework Programme 10 since that paper was published.

In advance of the publication of the UK’s Position Paper on the European Union’s 10th Research and Innovation Framework Programme (FP10), the Government undertook extensive engagement with a range of stakeholders across Government including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and its constituent councils, as well as with relevant representatives of business and university sectors. This engagement was used to inform the paper. Since then, the Department has remained in regular contact with a wide range of stakeholders on our approach to EU Research and Innovation Programmes, including through regular stakeholder meetings and public-facing engagements such as the Horizon Europe roadshows in Belfast and Cardiff. Such engagement will continue as further detail on FP10 emerges from the EU.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK position on EU's Research and Innovation Framework Programme, published on 26 September 2024, what discussions he has had with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council on the UK’s approach to the European Union’s Research and Innovation Framework Programme 10 since that paper was published.

In advance of the publication of the UK’s Position Paper on the European Union’s 10th Research and Innovation Framework Programme (FP10), the Government undertook extensive engagement with a range of stakeholders across Government including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and its constituent councils, as well as with relevant representatives of business and university sectors. This engagement was used to inform the paper. Since then, the Department has remained in regular contact with a wide range of stakeholders on our approach to EU Research and Innovation Programmes, including through regular stakeholder meetings and public-facing engagements such as the Horizon Europe roadshows in Belfast and Cardiff. Such engagement will continue as further detail on FP10 emerges from the EU.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with Research England on the potential impact of the rise of employer national insurance contributions on projects they fund or sponsor since July 2024.

In order to repair the public finances and help raise the revenue required to increase funding for public services, the Government has taken the difficult decision to increase employer National Insurance. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology continues to work with the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the sector to create a sustainable research and innovation environment and discussions are ongoing.UKRI grants are costed on known costs at the time of application. Whilst we recognise there may be impacts for Research Organisations with the increase in employers National Insurance contributions, unfortunately, it is not feasible to respond to every adjusting economic circumstance.