Written questions by Onwurah.

How much the Department has spent on dental research in each of the last three years.

The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).  Between the 2022/23 and 2024/25 financial years, the NIHR directly spent £18.2 million on research projects and programmes on dentistry research. The following table shows the spend on dentistry research, to the nearest £100,000, from 2022/23 to 2024/25 and in total over that period:Financial yearSpend2022/2023£5.1 million2023/2024£7.1 million2024/2025£6.1 millionTotal£18.2 million The Department, through the NIHR, also funds clinical academic training for doctors and dentists through the Integrated Academic Training Programme. This includes Academic Clinical Fellowships (ACFs) at the pre-doctoral level and Clinical Lectureships (CLs) at the post-doctoral level. From 2022 to 2024, 53 ACFs and 15 CLs were recruited in dentistry, with an estimated total value of over £14 million across the duration of the awards.In addition, investments in NIHR infrastructure, not included in the figures above, support the country’s leading experts to develop and deliver high-quality translational, clinical, and applied research that is funded by the NIHR’s research programmes, other public funders of research, charities, and the life sciences industry. This has supported the delivery of over 50 studies and the recruitment of over 12,000 participants in research under the specialty area of oral and dental health in the last three financial years.The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including dental research. 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.

What comparative assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the adult oral health survey (a) before and (b) after the decision to no longer include the examination of patients in the survey.

There has been no comparative assessment of the effectiveness of the adult oral health survey (AOHS) before and after the changes in data collection. This decision occurred for the 2021 survey only, to adapt to restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, where face to face examinations were not feasible. The most recent 2023 AOHS survey has reintroduced a clinical examination of participants.An online and paper survey without an oral examination was undertaken in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The results from this survey, published in January 2024, are therefore not comparable to the rest of the survey series. The most recent AOHS, provisionally scheduled to be published on 9 December, is a comprehensive survey that will include results of an oral examination of consenting participants. The survey is similar in content to the one that was conducted in 2009 and published at the time by NHS Digital.

What proportion of Israeli goods imported to the UK are from the Occupied Territories.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK. HMRC releases this information monthly, as an accredited official statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics (OTS), which is available via their dedicated website (www.uktradeinfo.com). From this website, it is possible to build your own data tables based upon bespoke search criteria.

Innovation and Technology, what proportion of Government cloud services are hosted on (a) AWS, (b) Google and (c) Microsoft infrastructure.

The State of Digital Government report estimates up to 60% of the government estate is currently hosted on cloud platforms, mostly using AWS, Microsoft and Google. More granular data on the split between AWS, Google and Microsoft infrastructure is not currently held. However, the Government Digital Service in DSIT is developing a cloud consumption dashboard to provide government with greater visibility of cloud usage and costs across the public sector.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the impact of the AWS outage on 20 October 2025 on Government Digital Services.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is leading Government’s response to the AWS outage that took place on Monday 20 October 2025. DSIT continues to work across government and with businesses to understand the full impacts of the outage. All AWS services were restored on Monday evening and DSIT is in contact with AWS to understand how such events can be mitigated in the future.The outage affected a number of suppliers and departments, and it will take some time to fully understand the scale of the impact. DSIT will be gathering a full picture of the impact on government in the coming weeks.The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology will publish the Government Cyber Action Plan this Winter, which will set out a clear approach for the Government and the Wider Public Sector to manage cyber security and resilience incidents.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the resilience of Government Digital Services to outages.

In the 2025 State of Digital Government review, cyber security and digital resilience risks were identified as critically high across the public sector, and we are taking immediate action to make Government services more secure, resilient and reliable.Government has a robust set of policies that ensure there are well-defined and tested incident management processes in place, providing continuity of essential functions in the event of system or service failure.Furthermore, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) will publish the Government Cyber Action Plan this Winter, which sets out a clear approach for Government and the public sector to manage cyber security and resilience incidents.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has issued guidance to financial institutions on its investment decisions in the context of the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on the Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, published in July 2024.

There is guidance on gov.uk setting out the clear risks related to economic and financial activities in the settlements, and we do not encourage or offer support to such activity.

Who is responsible for the (a) national and (b) regional (i) adoption and (ii) spread of health innovation within the NHS; and what role the Health Innovation Network and Integrated Care Systems play in this process.

Under the NHS Act 2006, NHS England has a statutory duty to promote innovation in the provision of health services. The Health and Care Act 2022 extends this duty to each integrated care board (ICB), requiring them to promote innovation as part of their planning and commissioning responsibilities. Nationally, NHS England supports the adoption and spread of innovation through programmes such as the NHS Innovation Service, Clinical Entrepreneurs Programme, and the NHS Innovation Accelerator. NHS England also works alongside the Department and the Office for Life Sciences (OLS) to develop national policy and coordinate action to strengthen the health innovation ecosystem. Innovation is a central theme of both the 10-Year Health Plan and the Life Sciences Sector Plan. The latter sets out specific actions and assigns senior responsible officers across NHS England, the Department, OLS, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, reflecting the shared national responsibility for supporting innovation. Regionally, Health Innovation Networks (HINs), commissioned by NHS England and OLS, support the adoption and spread of innovations across England through, but not limited to, building capacity to serve integrated care system (ICS) needs, supporting ICSs with the roll-out of national innovation programmes, real-world evaluation, and supporting local-to-national adoption. Each HIN serves its local population but also works as part of a network to share learning and support the spread of innovation across England. Ultimately, ICBs and National Health Service providers are the commissioners of services. They decide whether to procure new products, services, or technologies based on local priorities, evidence of benefit, affordability, and alignment with system plans.

How the Ambitions framework aligns with the NHS 10 Year Health Plan in the context of (a) the shift to neighbourhood health services, (b) integrated care and (c) preventative models of care.

The Ambitions Framework aligns with the 10-Year Health Plan in several ways, including both the foundations on which the framework is built, and the associated six ambitions. For example, the shift to neighbourhood health services aligns to education and training, community partnerships, population-based needs assessment, continuity partnership, and compassionate and resilient communities referenced in the Ambitions Framework.Ambition 1, that each person is seen as an individual, specifically references integrated care as a key building block, with alignment also clear with regards to shared records, personalised care and support planning, access to social care, inclusion of specialist level care, and ensuring an overall system approach. Finally, preventative models of care for palliative care and end of life care are not curative, but improve quality of life, preventing avoidable escalations of need, including emergency care.Therefore, alignment between the 10-Year Health Plan and the Ambitions Framework can be seen in the specific reference to rehabilitative palliative care and further complemented through 24/7 access, using new technology and improved use of existing and new data. Importantly, the Ambitions Framework was first published in 2015 and is due to be refreshed in 2026, providing further opportunity to align where appropriate.

With reference to the ICJ Advisory Opinion entitled Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, published on 19 July 2024, if his Department will (a) bring forward proposals to prohibit trade with and (b) take steps to prevent (i) trade and (ii) investment relations that help to maintain Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The UK is fully committed to international law and respects the independence of the ICJ. We continue to consider the Court’s Advisory Opinion carefully, with the seriousness and rigour it deserves.Israeli settlements in Palestine are illegal under international law. Goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements are not entitled to tariff and trade preferences. The overseas business risk guidance on gov.uk states there are clear risks to UK operators related to economic and financial activities in the settlements. We advise that those contemplating any economic or financial involvement in settlements should seek appropriate legal advice.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of requiring Israeli exporters to demonstrate their goods are not produced in illegal settlements before being imported into the UK.

Israeli settlements in Palestine are illegal under international law. The UK Government encourages accurate labelling of goods in order to avoid misleading consumers and promote transparency, including those goods produced in illegal settlements in Palestine. Goods produced in these settlements are not entitled to benefit from preferential tariff treatment under the UK’s current trade agreements with the Palestinian Authority and Israel. Where there are doubts about the declared origin of goods, HMRC undertakes checks to verify the origin and ensure fiscal compliance.

Whether his Department plans to develop a national strategy to secure aluminium as a critical raw material for the economy.

Building on the UK Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre’s updated 2024 criticality assessment in which aluminium was designated a critical mineral due to supply chain risks and economic vulnerability, the Government has been working with industry to publish a new Critical Minerals Strategy this year. This will focus on securing vital materials for economic growth, national security, and the clean energy transition. The Strategy will refine our approach to domestic production and target UK strengths to support business resilience.

What discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on cooperation on aluminium scrap retention.

To date, the Secretary of State for Business and Trade and other ministers at the Department for Business and Trade have not held discussions with EU counterparts regarding co-operation on aluminium scrap retention.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits to (a) the environmental and (b) employment opportunities from introducing domestic aluminium rolling capacity.

To date, the Department for Business and Trade has not assessed the environmental and employment opportunities potentially derived from the introduction of a UK aluminium rolling mill.

When the Government plans to publish an updated strategy on violence against women and girls; and whether she plans to included policies on (a) improving access to sexual violence services and (b) support for child sexual abuse victims within that strategy.

This Government has been clear that the level of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in our country is intolerable, and we are treating it as the national emergency that it is.The new VAWG Strategy will set the direction for the next decade, driving forward the Government’s bold ambition to halve VAWG within ten years. This is a landmark commitment that demands a truly transformational approach. It’s vital we get it right. We’re working towards publication of the Strategy as soon as possible and I will continue to keep the House updated on its development and forthcoming publication.Support for victims of VAWG crimes will be a core part of the new Strategy. This includes victims of sexual violence and child sexual abuse and exploitation. Tackling child sexual abuse and exploitation will be covered in the VAWG Strategy, as well as being the subject of its own distinctive and transformative workstream specific to those horrendous crimes. That includes acting on the recommendations of both the IICSA and Baroness Casey Audit into the evil of grooming gangs and child sexual exploitation and abuse.Additionally, the Ministry of Justice has committed funding to the Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Centre in 2025/26 to develop and deliver evidence-based training and resources for those working with victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and continues to invest in specialist sexual violence support services via the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund and ringfenced grants to Police and Crime Commissioners who allocate funds locally.

What assessment his Department made of the (a) economic and (b) environmental impact of exporting aluminium scrap from beverage packaging to countries outside the European Union.

The Department for Business and Trade has not conducted an assessment of the economic and environmental impacts of exporting aluminium scrap to non-EU countries.However, the Government recognises the importance of a circular economy for aluminium and is actively listening to the perspectives of all involved parties.

Innovation and Technology, when her Department plans to publish the Government Digital and AI Roadmap.

The Roadmap for a Modern Digital Government will be published this autumn.The roadmap will outline how the Blueprint for a Modern Digital Government, launched in January 2025, will be delivered, building a modern digital government that makes life easier, drives growth and delivers smarter, more efficient public services.

With reference to Action 10 on page 22 of the Life Sciences Sector Plan, published on 16 July 2025, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that musculoskeletal conditions are included in plans to increase investment in health research and development focused on primary and secondary prevention and multiple long-term conditions.

The Department funds research on health and social care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health including a variety of musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions such as arthritis, including osteo, rheumatoid, psoriatic, juvenile arthritis, osteoporosis, and joint and back pain. This includes research on primary and secondary prevention of MSK and the interaction and co-concurrence of MSK with other long-term conditions. Current investments across the NIHR include:- the UK Musculoskeletal Translational Research Collaboration, which works across all sectors of the health and care system to collate expertise, resources, and to develop novel innovations to benefit those experiencing MSK related conditions, with further information available at the following link: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/about-us/what-we-do/infrastructure/translational-research-collaborations/musculosceletal;- the Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, which is evaluating new devices and surgical interventions, using large datasets to find new ways to identify and treat MSK conditions and testing new drug delivery systems to help treat MSK conditions, with further information available at the following link: https://oxfordbrc.nihr.ac.uk/research-themes/musculoskeletal/; and- a major research grant exploring whether long-term conditions such as arthritis can be predicted by a person’s level of inflammation. Predicting these conditions will enable better intervention, prevention, and treatment, with further information available at the following link: https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR205461.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to (a) comply with the ICJ Advisory Opinion entitled Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, published on 19 July 2024 and (b) prevent (i) trade and (ii) investment relations that help to maintain Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The UK is fully committed to international law and respects the independence of the International Court of Justice. We continue to consider the Court's Advisory Opinion carefully, with the seriousness and rigour it deserves. The UK does not recognise the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including Israeli settlements, as part of Israel. Goods imported from the settlements are therefore not entitled to benefit from trade preferences under the UK-Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement. The UK also supports accurate labelling of settlement goods, so as not to mislead the consumer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 July 2025 to Question 67326 on Taxation, what reforms to the tax system are being considered to support (a) job creation and (b) economic participation in regions with persistently lower employment levels.

The OBR will produce a new forecast for the annual Budget, and the Chancellor will make decisions in the round based on that forecast. The Government is focused on unleashing the potential of people across all nations and regions of the UK and growing the economy – a key priority in the Plan for Change.