Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to ensure the security of DNA data held by (a) the NHS Genomic Medicine Service and (b) private providers of NHS healthcare; and whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential for cyber attacks by foreign state-linked companies.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Organisations which hold sensitive biological data are subject to the UK General Data Protection Regulation. In addition, organisations such as Genomics England, UK Biobank and NIHR BioResource actively consider national security in decision making about partnerships with companies overseas.
As part of the new UK Biological Security Strategy, the Government is undertaking a programme of work to assess how we can minimise the risks from biological data to protect our burgeoning bioeconomy, without stifling innovation, and build confidence in sharing personal data to improve health outcomes in the United Kingdom and across the world. The Office for Life Sciences has begun this work, in consultation with relevant Departments and Agencies across Government, and key partners such as Genomics England and UK Biobank.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent progress her Department has made on strengthening the life sciences sector.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Recent progress to strengthen the life sciences sector includes a raft of new initiatives and funding announced at the Autumn Statement. These include £520 million for life sciences manufacturing; £51 million for Our Future Health; the launch of a Rare Therapies Launch Pad; and £10 million of investment in a Centre of Excellence in Oligonucleotide Manufacturing Innovation. Additionally, the government has recently published the full response to the Commercial Clinical Trials Review. These announcements build on the £650 million growth package announced in May and reaffirm the government’s commitment to supporting a thriving life sciences sector.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister of State, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, during the debate on Genomics and national security of 8 March 2023, Official Report column 120WH, what steps she is taking to investigate the national security risks associated with (i) BGI Group and (ii) MGI Tech.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Organisations which hold sensitive biological data are subject to the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In addition, organisations such as Genomics England, UK Biobank and NIHR BioResource actively consider national security in decision making about partnerships with companies overseas.
As part of the new UK Biological Security Strategy, the Government is undertaking a programme of work to assess how we can minimise the risks from biological data to protect our burgeoning bioeconomy, without stifling innovation, and build confidence in sharing personal data to improve health outcomes in the UK and across the world. The Office for Life Sciences has begun this work, in consultation with relevant Departments and Agencies across Government, and key partners such as Genomics England and UK Biobank.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what plans Innovate UK has to help (a) promote and (b) develop new technologies in the Northern Ireland private sector in 2024.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Innovate UK, working closely with key Northern Ireland innovation stakeholders, is developing a Local Action Plan to realise the innovation ambitions of Northern Ireland. The Action Plan will form the basis of how Innovate UK will work with its partners to support local businesses.
Innovate UK held an Innovate Local event in Lisburn in November 2023. This event was attended by SME businesses and promoted the array of national funding and support. Further events are planned for 2024.
Innovate UK has also recently launched a pioneering Launchpad initiative in Northern Ireland to unlock local strengths in life and health sciences.
Asked by: Karl McCartney (Conservative - Lincoln)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the policy paper entitled 2024 voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing, access and growth: summary of the heads of agreement, published on 20 November 2023, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of these policies on life science SMEs.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government’s Life Sciences Vision sets out our ambition to develop a globally competitive life sciences investment ecosystem in the United Kingdom. While no assessment has been made, the 2024 voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing, access and growth includes several policies that will benefit innovative companies and drive innovation into the United Kingdom. This includes an exemption from payment for small companies with under £6m of sales to the National Health Service and a taper for medium sized companies with between £6 million and £30 million of sales.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, for each year since 2013, what number of people were working in each of the nine sub-sectors of the creative industries, and what contribution each sub-sector has made to the economy.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The UK’s creative industries are worth more than the life sciences, automotive manufacturing, aerospace, and oil and gas sectors put together, generating £126 billion annually and employing over 2.4 million people across the country.
As set out in the Government’s Creative Industries Sector Vision, our ambition is to grow this sector by a further £50 billion gross value added and to support one million more jobs by 2030, delivering a creative careers promise which builds a pipeline of talent.
Each sub-sector of the creative industries makes a distinct contribution to the UK economy. The information requested is shown in the following tables:
Number of people working in each creative industries sub-sector (000s):
| Advertising and marketing | Architecture | Crafts | Design and designer fashion | Film, TV, radio and photography | IT, software and computer services | Publishing | Museums, Galleries and Libraries | Music, performing and visual arts |
2013 | 155 | 94 | 8 | 124 | 232 | 574 | 198 | 85 | 244 |
2014 | 167 | 101 | 8 | 136 | 228 | 607 | 193 | 84 | 284 |
2015 | 182 | 90 | 7 | 132 | 231 | 640 | 200 | 97 | 286 |
2016 | 198 | 98 | 7 | 160 | 246 | 674 | 193 | 92 | 291 |
2017 | 190 | 104 | 10 | 160 | 261 | 712 | 192 | 96 | 283 |
2018 | 195 | 111 | 9 | 163 | 245 | 733 | 199 | 89 | 296 |
2019 | 190 | 112 | 9 | 171 | 239 | 775 | 196 | 95 | 315 |
2020 | 201 | 115 | 8 | 151 | 279 | 872 | 197 | 104 | 294 |
2021 | 226 | 106 | 7 | 160 | 290 | 963 | 199 | 94 | 294 |
2022 | 241 | 110 | 5 | 139 | 280 | 1,035 | 209 | 96 | 283 |
Contribution to economy of each creative industries sub-sector, as measured by gross value added (GVA) (£ billions):
| Advertising and marketing | Architecture | Crafts | Design and designer fashion | Film, TV, radio and photography | IT, software and computer services | Publishing | Museums, Galleries and Libraries | Music, performing and visual arts |
2013 | 13.2 | 2.6 | 0.2 | 2.3 | 18.2 | 29.9 | 11.4 | 1 | 9.7 |
2014 | 13.3 | 3 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 18.1 | 32.6 | 11.4 | 0.8 | 8.6 |
2015 | 17 | 3.4 | 0.4 | 2.6 | 19.4 | 33.5 | 11.1 | 0.9 | 9.6 |
2016 | 15.7 | 3.4 | 0.3 | 3 | 20 | 37.6 | 11.4 | 0.9 | 9.3 |
2017 | 16.8 | 3.7 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 19.7 | 38.2 | 10.6 | 1 | 9.6 |
2018 | 16.4 | 3.5 | 0.3 | 3.3 | 19.2 | 40 | 10.4 | 0.9 | 10.2 |
2019 | 15.8 | 3.4 | 0.4 | 3 | 20.2 | 41.3 | 10.7 | 1 | 10.1 |
2020 | 15.9 | 3.2 | 0.1 | 2.4 | 17.8 | 42.9 | 10.1 | 0.6 | 7.4 |
2021* | 18.2 | 3.5 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 19.9 | 48.8 | 11.3 | 1 | 8.9 |
2022* | 18.8 | 3.7 | 0.4 | 3.2 | 20.8 | 55.4 | 11.6 | 1 | 11.2 |
*Figures for 2021 and 2022 are summed monthly GVA estimates as annual GVA estimates are not yet available. These figures are subject to revision and not directly comparable to the annual GVA estimates for 2013-2020 due to being calculated via a different method.
Source: Economic Estimates: GVA for DCMS Sectors and the Digital Sector, 2020 - GOV.UK (Annual GVA 2013-2020); DCMS and Digital Economic Estimates: Monthly GVA (to Sept 2023) - GOV.UK (Summed monthly GVA 2021-2022)
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Prime Minister unveils £29.5 billion of investment at historic Global Investment Summit, published on 27 November 2023, how much and what proportion of the funding will be invested in each region of the UK.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Global Investment Summit was a roaring success, unveiling £29.5 billion of investment, creating 12,000 jobs in some of the fastest-growing sectors of the UK, including data centres to support AI and life sciences.
Many of the projects announced are nationwide in their application so we cannot forecast regional spend of the combined investment total. We are working with investors to ensure the projects deliver the maximum economic benefit.
The investment announced on the day is a colossal vote of confidence in the UK and this government, and the benefits will be felt across the whole of the UK.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many times she has met officials from the Office for Life Sciences since 7 February 2023; and what correspondence she has had with the that organisation in the same time period.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has had no meetings with the Office of Life Sciences (OLS) since 7 February 2023 and there are no records of correspondence between the Secretary of State and the OLS for the same time period.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)
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 identify new uses for AI in the public sector.
Answered by Paul Scully
The UK government is taking a leading role promoting ethical, safe and responsible adoption of AI, as illustrated by our leadership of the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park last week. This includes the use of AI to improve public services and boost public sector productivity.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is looking to identify new uses for AI in the public sector. Examples include: the AI Life Sciences Accelerator Mission giving £100 million of funding to capitalise on AI’s game-changing potential in healthcare; the Department for Education providing up to £2million to Oak National Academy to improve and expand Artificial Intelligence tools for teachers; the Department of Health and Social Care using AI to identify language indicating mental distress in public social media posts and signposting people to a NHS-endorsed mental health service; and the Royal Navy using AI to connect with potential recruits faster through an AI-driven virtual recruiter.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are providing to UK life sciences and investment in the innovation pipeline to build on recent successes such as the development of a malaria vaccine by the Oxford-based Jenner Institute.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The UK has an exceptional life sciences sector, and the UK Government is committed to supporting it. We work closely with industry, including through strategic partnerships, such as the 10-year partnership with Moderna and strategic collaboration with BioNTech, delivering innovation to UK patients.
Following the Life Sciences Vision launched in 2022, we announced in May a further £650m to drive growth and bring innovative treatments to the NHS, including £121m to improve commercial clinical trials, £48m for a new biomanufacturing fund, and £154m to increase the capacity of the UK Biobank.