Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to support research institutions in the period before UK Research and Innovation budget allocations are determined.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In December, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) set out how it will deliver its record £38.6 billion funding allocation over the next four years. This is part of the largest ever investment in R&D made by any UK government (£86 billion up to 2029/30) and will help drive new scientific breakthroughs, help create new industries and grow businesses faster, and deliver the growth we need for good jobs and better lives.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has been in active dialogue with UKRI to ensure that any implications from funding decisions are fully understood and that they reflect both the UK’s strategic research priorities and its global commitments. DSIT has asked UKRI to ensure that its final allocations are informed by meaningful consultation with the research community and a robust assessment of potential consequences for the UK’s scientific capability.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
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 implications for his policies of research from King’s College London, Anglia Ruskin University and the University of Leeds entitled Comparing the Outcomes of In-Vitro Fertilization in Same-Sex Female Couples Using Their Partner's Egg Versus Their Own Egg: A Systematic Review, published on 19 August 2025.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority’s (HFEA) Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee reviews the published evidence of health outcomes for those having fertility treatment. The last 10 years of evidence were reviewed in June 2025, and further information on the findings of this review can be found at the following link:
HFEA changed the information on its website relating to the risks of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) because of this review, including risks associated with reciprocal IVF. Further information can be found at the following link:
https://www.hfea.gov.uk/treatments/explore-all-treatments/risks-of-fertility-treatment/
The study had not been published at the time of the review and will be included in the next review by HFEA.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
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 implications for his policies of research by Velez et al entitled New-Onset Mental Illness Among Gestational Carriers, published on 25 July 2025.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority’s (HFEA) Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee reviews the published evidence of health outcomes for those having fertility treatment, including surrogates. The last 10 years of evidence were reviewed in June 2025, and further information on the findings of this review can be found at the following link:
The study had not been published at the time of the review and will be included in the next review by the HFEA.
Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has assessed the potential merits of asking the VMD to reduce the unrestricted use of spot-on pet treatments by re-classifying them from general sales to POM-V.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is responsible for setting legal distribution categories for veterinary medicines and must balance animal health and welfare, public health, environmental protection and access to treatment. Many flea and tick products containing fipronil and imidacloprid are currently classified as AVM‑GSL, allowing supply without professional advice.
In light of environmental evidence, the VMD is undertaking an evidence‑based review of the distribution categories for these products. This includes considering whether requiring professional advice at the point of sale, through a minimum classification of NFA‑VPS, could help reduce environmental risk while maintaining access for pet owners.
Further details on this review will be available in early 2026. Any future regulatory decisions will follow a transparent, consultative process and will be based on robust scientific evidence, with animal welfare remaining paramount.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the numbers of animals being used in tests in order to satisfy international regulators despite a non-animal alternative being accepted in the UK; and what steps is she taking to reduce those numbers.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Animals in Science Regulation Unit has published guidance for applicants intending to conduct research under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 for regulated bodies outside the UK, available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/research-and-testing-using-animals (see section entitled ‘Research for regulatory bodies outside the UK’).
In summary, where there is a difference between the requested test and the lowest impact test used elsewhere, there must be associated benefit commensurate with allowing the higher impact test for that jurisdiction. This is aligned with the legally binding principle of the implementation of the 3Rs - Replacement, Reduction and Refinement.
This Government has recently launched an Alternatives Strategy to accelerate the development, validation and uptake of non-animal alternatives. The strategy is backed by £75 million in investment for delivery with plans to establish a UK Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods.
Asked by: Lorraine Beavers (Labour - Blackpool North and Fleetwood)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of integrating all at risk screening for breast cancer into the National NHS Breast Screening Programme.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The new and world-leading NHS National Inherited Cancer Predisposition Registry (NICPR), part of the National Disease Registration Service, will help the National Health Service to deliver proactive, targeted prevention, surveillance, and earlier diagnosis for people and their families. Women at Very High Risk (VHR) of breast cancer are now identified within the NICPR and referred into the NHS Breast Screening Programme (NHSBSP), which has enabled reconciliation to ensure that all identified women are safely referred into the programme. This is a step towards a fully electronic referral VHR process into the NHSBSP.
The Government is advised on all screening matters by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent scientific advisory committee which is made up of leading medical and screening experts. Where the UK NSC is confident that offering screening provides more good than harm, they recommend a screening programme.
In 2022 the remit of the UK NSC was expanded to include targeted, and risk stratified screening, in addition to population screening. So far, the UK NSC has not made a recommendation for targeted screening of women at a moderate or high risk of breast cancer.
Currently, if women reach the criteria for moderate or high- risk screening with surveillance recommended, this is offered as part of screening provision managed locally with NHS trusts.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the investment in vaccines for gingivitis or periodontitis by the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are not aware of any investment from the National Institute for Health and Care Research into vaccines for gingivitis or periodontitis.
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 and care including vaccines for gingivitis or periodontitis. 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.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase funding for cardiovascular disease research.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
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).
The Department, through the NIHR, funds research into cardiovascular disease (CVD) that is aligned with the Government’s Health Mission, embracing digital transformation, prioritising prevention over treatment, and bringing care closer to communities to tackle health inequalities and reduce the number of lives lost to the biggest killers.
For example, in 2025 the NIHR launched a new funding opportunity to invest £50 million into innovative new research in CVD, aiming to tackle preventable causes of heart disease and its complications, save lives, and reduce inequalities in this area across the United Kingdom.
In addition, our wider investments in NIHR infrastructure, strengthening specialist facilities, the workforce, and support services to enable research in the health and care system, have enabled significant CVD funded by other funders to take place.
The NIHR continues to welcome high quality applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including CVD. 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 the public and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the expansion of the UK National Screening Committee’s remit to include consideration of targeted screening programmes on the evaluation of a wider range of screening options for conditions associated with lifestyle related risk factors.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Each year, over 15 million people are invited for screening by National Health Service screening programmes, with over 10 million taking up the invitation. Through our NHS screening programmes, we can reduce mortality and morbidity from cancer and other conditions in the population who appear healthy and have no symptoms, by detecting conditions at an earlier, more treatable stage.
The Government is advised on all screening matters by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent scientific advisory committee which is made up of leading medical and screening experts. It is only where there is robust evidence that an offer to screen provides more good than harm that a screening programme is recommended.
Following its expanded remit, in 2022, the UK NSC recommended lung cancer screening to people between the ages of 55 and 74 years old who smoke or have previously smoked, a lifestyle related risk factor. The NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme is being rolled out across England.
During its three-month open call for topics, the UK NSC welcomes proposals that cover population screening or targeted screening topics. Any individual or organisation can submit a topic to the UK NSC to consider. The UK NSC will consider whether the proposal is within the UK NSC remit and, if so, how the topic should be explored further.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ask the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition to review whether current vitamin D supplementation recommendations (a) adequately serve all population groups and (b) take adequate account of evidence relating to risks to people with higher melanin concentration.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In 2016, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) published a robust assessment of the evidence on vitamin D and a wide range of health outcomes resulting in the current advice for everyone to take a 10 microgram, or 400 international units, daily supplement of vitamin D during the autumn and winter. This advice is particularly important for those with limited exposure to sunlight during the spring and summer, those with dark skin, and those who usually wear clothes that cover up most of their skin when outdoors. These groups are more at risk of not having enough vitamin D and these groups are advised to take a vitamin D supplement all year round. The SACN is currently carrying out a rapid review of the vitamin D requirements for people with higher melanin concentration.
Vitamin D intakes and status, the concentrations in the blood, are monitored through the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey. Latest findings, from 2019 to 2023, showed that vitamin D intakes from diet and supplements were below recommendations and low vitamin D concentrations in the blood were found in 18% of adults aged 19 to 64 years old and 23% of children aged 11 to 18 years old. Analysis by ethnicity is not currently possible due to small sample sizes but will be considered in future years.
Government recommendations on vitamin D are promoted on the National Health Service webpage and through public-facing social marketing campaigns, namely Best Start in Life, Better Health, and Healthier Families. These channels help ensure that at-risk groups, as well as the general population, are aware of the importance of supplementation.
Targeted support is also available for families through Government’s Healthy Start scheme which encourages a healthy diet for pregnant women, babies, and young children under four years old from very low-income households. In January 2026, Healthy Start supported over 353,000 pregnant women and children aged under four years old.
Healthy Start beneficiaries are eligible for free Healthy Start Vitamins which include folic acid and vitamins C and D for pregnant and breast-feeding women, and vitamins A, C, and D for children. The formulations are in line with recommendations from the Government’s independent SACN for supplements.