Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential implications of the state pension rise from April 2024 for the sustainability of pension funding.

Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The new State Pension was introduced in April 2016 with the aim of providing a clearer, sustainable foundation for State Pensions for decades to come.

Each year, the Government Actuary’s Department publishes a report showing the impact of uprating decisions on the National insurance Fund. The most recent report in January this year took into account the 8.5% increase in the basic and new State Pensions which will come into force from 8 April. The assessment was that the Fund would have enough money to self-finance for at least the next five years. HM Treasury has the ability to top up the National Fund from the Consolidated Fund when needed, even if receipts do not match expenditure. The report said that a Treasury Grant would not be needed in the next five years.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to paragraph 5.174, page 105 of the Autumn Statement 2023, what steps her Department is taking through (a) distribution decisions and (b) monitoring of expenditure to help optimise the impact of funding for AI compute on the UK's (i) technological advancement and (ii) economic competitiveness.

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

UKRI is working with its delivery partner UKRI to identify appropriate host sites for the £500m AIRR expansion through a competitive process. We will provide updates on the outcomes in due course.

DSIT is working with industry and academia to understand how AI and compute technologies are developing over time to ensure the UK secures best value for money and maximum impact from our investments.

As announced in the 2024 Spring Budget, DSIT will set out in due course the access model for public compute facilities, ensuring that both researchers and innovative companies can access the compute they need.

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 OneWeb and Eutelsat merger on the UK's (a) national security and (b) strategic interests in space and satellite technology.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

OneWeb’s merger with Eutelsat means the Government now has a significant stake in a larger and more diverse company, which will play an important role in securing UK interests in an increasingly competitive satellite communications sector.

The Government retains certain rights in OneWeb. These provide a range of national security rights and ensure that the UK remains a preferred location for activity on a commercially competitive basis. The merger was approved by all relevant regulatory bodies in 2023.

OneWeb continues to innovate in the UK satellite communications sector, contributing to one of Government’s five critical technologies for the future.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the OneWeb and Eutelsat merger on the UK's (a) strategic economic interests in space and satellite technology and (b) wider economy.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

OneWeb’s merger with Eutelsat means the Government now has a significant stake in a larger and more diverse company, which will play an important role in securing UK interests in an increasingly competitive satellite communications sector.

The Government retains certain rights in OneWeb. These provide a range of national security rights and ensure that the UK remains a preferred location for activity on a commercially competitive basis. The merger was approved by all relevant regulatory bodies in 2023.

OneWeb continues to innovate in the UK satellite communications sector, contributing to one of Government’s five critical technologies for the future.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the progress on improving educational outcomes in the 55 education investment areas.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

The Education Investment Areas (EIA) programme is in its infancy, and it is too early to attribute any changes in educational outcomes in these areas to the initiatives made available to schools through the EIA programmes.

The department will, internally, monitor changes in key stage 2 and key stage 4 attainment in EIAs and consider any fluctuations. The department intends to review their impact following the publication of the 2023/24 academic year data.

Town and Country Planning

Found: Members present: Mr William Wragg (Chair); Ronnie Cowan; Jo Gideon; Mr David Jones; John McDonnell; Damien

Found: Glenrothes ) Paul Holmes MP (Conservative, Eastleigh) Gareth Johnson MP (Conservative, Dartford ) Damien

Found: Glenrothes ) Paul Holmes MP (Conservative, Eastleigh ) Gareth Johnson MP (Conservative, Dartford ) Damien

Found: Glenrothes ) Paul Holmes MP (Conservative, Eastleigh ) Gareth Johnson MP (Conservative, Dartford ) Damien

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Mr William Wragg (Chair); Jo Gideon; Mr David Jones; Damien Moore

Found: Moore .

Found: Champion Shailesh Vara Tracey Crouch Mr David Jones Tim Farron Jane Stevenson Ms Marie Rimmer Damien

Found: Champion Shailesh Vara Tracey Crouch Mr David Jones Tim Farron Jane Stevenson Ms Marie Rimmer Damien

Found: Champion Shailesh Vara Tracey Crouch Mr David Jones Tim Farron Jane Stevenson Ms Marie Rimmer Damien

Found: Moore Clause 1, page 1, line 11, at end insert “, unless the landlord and the tenant mutually

Found: Champion Shailesh Vara Tracey Crouch Mr David Jones Tim Farron Jane Stevenson Ms Marie Rimmer Damien

Found: Jack Brereton supported by Jonathan Gullis, Jo Gideon, Eddie Hughes, Andrew Lewer, Grahame Morris, Damien

Found: Brereton supported by Jonathan Gullis , Jo Gideon , Eddie Hughes , Andrew Lewer , Grahame Morris , Damien

Found: Moore Clause 1, page 1, line 11, at end insert “, unless the landlord and the tenant mutually

Found: Champion Shailesh Vara Tracey Crouch Mr David Jones Tim Farron Jane Stevenson Ms Marie Rimmer Damien

Found: Moore Clause 1, page 1, line 11, at end insert “, unless the landlord and the tenant mutually

Found: Moore Kelly Tolhurst Julian Knight James Grundy Neil O'Brien Andrew Lewer Richard Drax Adam

Found: Champion Shailesh Vara Tracey Crouch Mr David Jones Tim Farron Jane Stevenson Ms Marie Rimmer Damien

Found: Champion Shailesh Vara Tracey Crouch Mr David Jones Tim Farron Jane Stevenson Ms Marie Rimmer Damien

Found: Champion Shailesh Vara Tracey Crouch Mr David Jones Tim Farron Jane Stevenson Ms Marie Rimmer Damien

Found: Moore Kelly Tolhurst James Grundy Neil O'Brien Andrew Lewer Richard Drax Adam Holloway Dame

Found: Champion Shailesh Vara Tracey Crouch Mr David Jones Tim Farron Jane Stevenson Ms Marie Rimmer Damien

Found: Champion Shailesh Vara Tracey Crouch Mr David Jones Tim Farron Jane Stevenson Ms Marie Rimmer Damien

Found: Moore Clause 1, page 1, line 11, at end insert “, unless the landlord and the tenant mutually

Found: Moore James Grundy Neil O'Brien Andrew Lewer Richard Drax Adam Holloway Dame Andrea Jenkyns

Found: Champion Shailesh Vara Tracey Crouch Mr David Jones Tim Farron Jane Stevenson Ms Marie Rimmer Damien