Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to ensure (a) the adoption of data standards and (b) funding for data infrastructure across Government departments.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Data Standards Authority within the Government Digital Service is responsible for setting data standards for adoption across government. Data standards that are approved by the Data Standards Authority are included in the Technology Code of Practice and Service Standard which must be followed by an organisation’s digital and technology assurance board.

Throughout the recent spending review, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) supported HM Treasury decision-making by providing expert advice on digital data and technology submissions. At the spending review, it was outlined how funding had been prioritised for digital programmes in the following areas: digital public infrastructure, for the public and for government, and modernised public services by harnessing the power of AI. The government has provided funding to build strong digital and technology foundations, such as improvements to digital public infrastructure, which data infrastructure is a core component of. This includes the creation of a new National Data Library to join up data across the public sector. DSIT and HMT will be monitoring the delivery of key funded programmes through the oversight of the Digital Inter-Ministerial Group, as well as through wider GDS performance, assurance and spend controls mechanisms.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of integrating OpenActive data standards into NHS clinical care pathways.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Health and Social Care Act 2022, the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 and the Health and Social Care Information Standards (Procedure) Regulations 2025 establish a new legislative framework for setting mandatory information standards for public and private health and adult social care providers and IT suppliers in the health and care system. This will provide the basis for ensuring interoperability between IT systems.

Standards will be introduced in a staged process following the procedure set out in the Health and Social Care Information Standards (Procedure) Regulations 2025. No assessment has yet been made of the potential of the OpenActive data standards.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to incorporate OpenActive data into the NHS app to help patients find local physical activity opportunities relevant to health conditions.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England has no current plans to incorporate OpenActive data into the NHS App in this way.

However, the Government recognises that data plays an important role in supporting the delivery of high-quality public services, helping to achieve the shift from sickness to prevention and building an NHS fit for the future.

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out to build movement back into everyday life and get millions more people moving. Physical activity is part of this Government’s mission to improve health. Work is already underway through the NHS Better Health campaign and the ‘We are Undefeatable’ campaign to promote movement, remove barriers and make it easier for people with long term conditions to access physical activity. Raising awareness of the value of everyday movement, such as walking, cycling and wheeling is key in our mission to help people keep fit and healthy for longer.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to instruct Natural England to develop proposals for new Special Protection Areas for vulnerable bird species.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

In May 2025, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) released the Third Special Protection Areas (SPAs) Review (Phase 2), assessing the UK’s SPA network and its protection of bird species. The report offers guidance from JNCC and the UK’s four statutory conservation bodies, which administrations must consider. Ministers and agencies, including Natural England (NE), are reviewing it. A key focus is to ensure that existing sites are in favourable condition, but the Government may also, if necessary, direct NE to implement the report’s recommendations, including designating new SPAs.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the legislative proposal to remove Sport England as a statutory consultee in planning decisions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the protection of playing fields.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Access to open green spaces and playing fields is crucial to the government’s ambitions to increase physical activity levels across the nation and deliver on its Health Mission. We remain committed to protecting and extending our playing field capacity. The National Planning Policy Framework ensures these interests are maintained in the planning system. Sport England plays an important role in developing local development and strategic plans, and through the publication of guidance and advice.

The government is committed to reviewing the existing statutory consultee arrangements to ensure they align with the government’s ambitions for growth. As per the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510), we intend to consult on removing a limited number of statutory consultees, including Sports England. We also intend to review the range and type of planning applications on which statutory consultees are required to be consulted and consider whether some types of application could be removed, or addressed by alternative means of engagement and provision of expert advice. Further details will be set out in due course.

Found: Jess Asato Jayne Kirkham Gareth SnellBecky GittinsPaul Waugh Charlotte Nichols John McDonnell Andy MacNae