Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to attract and retain workers with skills in artificial intelligence into the NHS workforce.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We provide targeted upskilling and training for clinical staff through the Fellows in Clinical AI programme, and are developing specialised roles within our Digital, Data, and Technology workforce. Furthermore, the AI and Digital Healthcare Technologies Capability framework outlines the necessary capabilities for artificial intelligence (AI) across the National Health Service workforce.
We have also set out core foundations to drive AI-related education training in two published reports that focus on understanding and developing the healthcare workforce’s confidence in AI. These include developing fundamentals for the full workforce and advanced training, where it is required. The reports on understanding and developing confidence in AI are available, respectively, at the following links:
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the planned rise in the salary threshold for a skilled worker visa on UK research and development.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In December 2023, the Government announced a new package of measures to curb immigration abuse and further reduce net migration. DSIT will continue to work with the Home Office on the details of the measures and make ongoing assessments of the effects on researchers, scientists and innovators.
The Government is committed to attracting and retaining the talent needed to ensure the UK remains at the cutting edge of research, development and innovation (RDI). Our Science and Technology Framework, updated in February, sets out how we will build a skilled workforce for tomorrow’s industries.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what her Department's planned timescale is for responding to the report entitled Independent review of the DSIT business case and approvals process, published in February 2024.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government welcomes David Willetts’ report and is considering the recommendations, including options for implementation. We are planning to publish a response before the end of April.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has plans to measure the impact of the Advanced Research and Innovation Agency.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
ARIA was established to focus on projects with the potential to produce transformative technological change with long-term benefits, and was set up as a flagship of the government’s agenda to cut bureaucracy in research. ARIA has maximum autonomy over its research and project choice, its procedures and its institutional culture.
ARIA will be responsible for evaluating the impact of its programmes. As set out in ARIA’s Framework Agreement, ARIA’s performance shall be formally reviewed after 10 years of operations.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department is taking steps to encourage UK Research and Innovation to support pandemic preparedness.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Yes.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for her policies of the potential relationship of the financial sustainability of higher education institutions and delivery of the UK Science and Technology Framework ambitions.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT works closely with the Department for Education, UK Research and Innovation and other research funders to understand the factors that affect the financial sustainability of research and the impact that this might have on the realisation of those ambitions.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, from what budget (a) legal fees for defamation cases brought against ministers and (b) settlement in such cases will come.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
In line with the established practice under multiple administrations of all political colours, Ministers are provided with legal support and representation where matters relate to their conduct and responsibilities as a Minister.
Statistics relating to costs of settling claims, costs of legal support, and the number of times the provision of legal support has been authorised or declined are not maintained by the Cabinet Office. Funding for appropriate legal costs, including any out-of-court settlements, would be met by the relevant department's budget.
As set out in Chapter 6 of the Cabinet Manual, Ministers are indemnified by the Crown for any actions taken against them for things done or decisions made in the course of their ministerial duties. The indemnity covers the cost of defending the proceedings, as well as any costs or damages awarded against the minister. Decisions about whether to provide legal support are made by the relevant department’s Accounting Officer.
This reflects an important principle that Ministers should be able to carry out their official duties, supported by official advice, in a way which they see fit, without the risk of personal liability constraining their ability to take those official actions. Of course, Ministers remain accountable to Parliament and the wider public for their actions as a Minister.
It would have a chilling effect on public life if Ministers faced the prospect of personal financial harm from those seeking to pressure the Government through vexatious or hostile litigation (or the threat thereof).
More broadly, the principle of legal support from the public purse for official duties is not confined to government. I would observe that there is insurance available to MPs provided by the House at taxpayers’ expense, designed to protect hon. Members when carrying out parliamentary and constituency duties. This includes professional indemnity insurance that covers defamation. I also note that the House of Lords Commission is due this week to discuss the provision of professional indemnity insurance to peers.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what proportion of freedom of information requests to her Department were replied to within the 20 working day response target in the last 12 months for which information is available.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Data on the timeliness of the Department’s responses to Freedom of Information requests is published quarterly at gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department is engaging with (a) local authorities and (b) mayoral combined authorities on (i) branding and (ii) promotion of (A) science, (B) technology and (C) innovation.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As part of the government’s devolution deals, DSIT is committed to working with Mayoral Combined Authorities to strengthen collaboration on science, innovation and technology.
Through the Innovation Accelerator programme, DSIT with UKRI and DBT are championing the UK’s science, technology and innovation offer and promoting regionally-led activities in Glasgow, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands.
Great campaigns promote UK export or investment opportunities. The GREAT.gov.uk website provides support for UK companies, overseas buyers and overseas investors into the UK for a broad range of sectors including science and technology.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department produces equality impact assessments for its plans and strategies.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In accordance with the Public Sector Equality Duty, DSIT is committed to ensuring that equality considerations are integral to its operational and strategic decision-making processes.