Written Question
Tuesday 23rd December 2025
Asked by:
Mark Sewards (Labour - Leeds South West and Morley)
Question
to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what internal discussions her Department has had on the allocation of funding for the mathematical sciences within the 2026-27 Strategic Priorities Grant.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan
- Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The allocation of funding for mathematical sciences within the 2026-27 Strategic Priorities Grant is the responsibility of the Department for Education (DfE). As such, there has been no specific internal discussion within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) on this issue.
For this Academic Year 2025-26, more than two thirds of the £1.3 billion Strategic Priorities Grant budget allocated to providers will support the provision of high-cost subjects, for example medicine, dentistry; science, engineering and technology. DfE is reviewing the high-cost subject funding to ensure that this best aligns with the Government’s Growth Mission and is targeted effectively towards provision that supports the industrial strategy and future skills needs. DfE will issue guidance to the Office for Student (OfS) in due course setting out funding priorities for 2026/27.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 18 Dec 2025
Business of the House
"Merry Christmas to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and to all the House staff, everybody here and everybody who is not.
When asked to become a kinship carer for seven children, in addition to already having two of her own, my constituent and her partner stepped up because those seven children …..."Mark Sewards - View Speech
View all Mark Sewards (Lab - Leeds South West and Morley) contributions to the debate on: Business of the House
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 18 Dec 2025
Violence against Women and Girls Strategy
"I welcome the strategy that the Minister has set out, and commend her and everyone around her for their tireless, often lifelong, work that has got us to this point. When I speak with the charitable sector and with third-sector organisations, such as Leeds Women’s Aid in my constituency, which …..."Mark Sewards - View Speech
View all Mark Sewards (Lab - Leeds South West and Morley) contributions to the debate on: Violence against Women and Girls Strategy
Written Question
Thursday 18th December 2025
Asked by:
Mark Sewards (Labour - Leeds South West and Morley)
Question
to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the role of the mathematical sciences within future Strategic Priorities Grant funding.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan
- Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The mathematical sciences sector is key to delivering the Government’s missions and plays an important role from advising government and business, to sharing expertise that underpins the innovation and scientific discovery that helps our country and economy thrive.
Ministers and officials in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) engage regularly with counterparts in the Department for Education (DfE) on a wide range of issues related to mathematical sciences and higher education funding. While we maintain this ongoing dialogue with the DfE, there have been no specific discussions on the role of mathematical sciences in the Office for Students’ Strategic Priorities Grant funding.
Division Vote (Commons)
17 Dec 2025 - National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill -
View Vote Context
Mark Sewards (Lab) voted Aye
- in line with the party majority
and in line with the House
One of
300 Labour Aye votes vs
0 Labour No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 312 Noes - 165
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 16 Dec 2025
Oral Answers to Questions
"T5. Following a string of shocking cases in which funeral directors did not treat the bodies of the deceased with the care and respect that they deserved, will the Minister update the House on the cross-departmental work being done to regulate the funeral industry?..."Mark Sewards - View Speech
View all Mark Sewards (Lab - Leeds South West and Morley) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Division Vote (Commons)
16 Dec 2025 - Finance (No. 2) Bill -
View Vote Context
Mark Sewards (Lab) voted No
- in line with the party majority
and in line with the House
One of
333 Labour No votes vs
0 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 118 Noes - 340
Division Vote (Commons)
16 Dec 2025 - Finance (No. 2) Bill -
View Vote Context
Mark Sewards (Lab) voted Aye
- in line with the party majority
and in line with the House
One of
329 Labour Aye votes vs
0 Labour No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 341 Noes - 195
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 15 Dec 2025
Jimmy Lai Conviction
"Given that the Chinese Communist party has clearly broken its promise in the joint declaration to protect freedom and the rule of law in Hong Kong, and that this judgment was handed down by a politically appointed judge in a sham or show trial, does the Foreign Secretary agree that …..."Mark Sewards - View Speech
View all Mark Sewards (Lab - Leeds South West and Morley) contributions to the debate on: Jimmy Lai Conviction
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 15 Dec 2025
Employment Rights Bill
"I will be brief. I proudly refer members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. I am a proud member of several trade unions, and have indeed received money from trade unions to remove the Conservatives from power.
Speaking of removing the Conservatives from power, on 4 …..."Mark Sewards - View Speech
View all Mark Sewards (Lab - Leeds South West and Morley) contributions to the debate on: Employment Rights Bill