We work very closely with the Department for Business and Trade on this agenda, and we work with the Department for Education on skills in general. We have fantastic programmes such as Innovate

UK, which is helping to support businesses with the uptake of artificial intelligence. We recently produced additional guidance, too.

I very much thank the hon. Gentleman, my shadow, for his question, which started so well. I am very grateful and I hope that we continue our ongoing relationship across the Dispatch Box. I understand his

concerns. They have been voiced by the PAC and we have responded to the concerns raised. I am afraid that I am a details bore, and we do go through the projects project by project. Defence procurement is never easy—it is a tough thing to get right—and I have not yet found a state anywhere on earth that can really deliver to the kind of standards that I am sure the hon. Gentleman would wish to see. What I do know is that, in Defence Equipment and Support and throughout the MOD, we have people who are doing a great job. They are becoming more professional, and senior responsible owners are spending more time on the projects. We are making sure that projects are properly set up to succeed at the start and ensuring that they are properly funded. It is that combination, along with working through the defence and security industrial strategy with British companies, that will get us the results we all wish to see.

Investigations remain ongoing. As it becomes available, the data from this testing will be combined with our knowledge of the in-service Armoured Fighting Vehicle (AFV) operating environment to ensure safety advice and guidance to operational commanders remains current.

The headsets in use with Warrior, CVR(T) fleets, and intended for use in AJAX (once fielded), are provided by Racal Acoustics Ltd. Additionally, a small number of headsets, from various manufacturers, have been trialled in small numbers for research and niche users across the platforms.

Armoured vehicles are inherently noisy so statutory restrictions are mandated across the Armoured Fighting Vehicle fleet. The department was made aware of some concerns regarding AFV headsets so have imposed tighter restrictions on the use of some vehicles, including Ajax, Warrior and CVRT fleet whilst further investigation work is conducted.

The in-service headsets used by Ministry of Defence (MOD) personnel on Ajax are provided to General Dynamics by the MOD as Government Furnished Equipment.

All Army personnel, regardless of role, are directed to have their hearing tested at least every 24 months, increasing to every 12 months for those in high risk roles. Personnel working on armoured vehicles fall into this high-risk category.

In response to concerns over the performance of some AFV headsets, the Army will assure compliance with the 12 monthly audiograms for all armoured vehicle users and will establish additional targeted sample surveillance (by vehicle type) to monitor the effectiveness of the safety constraints under the safety cases.

All Army personnel, regardless of role, are directed to have their hearing tested at least every 24 months, increasing to every 12 months for those in high risk roles. Personnel working on armoured vehicles fall into this high-risk category.

In response to concerns over the performance of some AFV headsets, the Army will assure compliance with the 12 monthly audiograms for all armoured vehicle users and will establish additional targeted sample surveillance (by vehicle type) to monitor the effectiveness of the safety constraints under the safety cases.

In ‘The future of healthcare: our vision for digital, data and technology in health and care’, my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care outlined his ambition that the best technology available is used across the National Health Service, including in community pharmacy. The use of technology can improve the safety and efficiency of our services, and patients experience of them. Therefore, among other things, the NHS is working with the pharmacy community to encourage the use of technology by:

- Providing the Summary Care Record, which over 95% of community pharmacies are using, supporting the clinical care they provide. NHS Digital is now integrating the Summary Care Record into clinical pharmacy systems to make it quicker and easier for pharmacy teams to access;

- Optimising the Electronic Prescription Service, which is now used in more than 92% of general practitioner (GP) practices and all community pharmacies. This means electronic prescriptions can be sent safely and securely to pharmacies directly from GP surgeries. We are currently rolling out electronic prescriptions for patients who have not nominated a regular pharmacy, which will be available in all community pharmacies;

- Piloting a digital system in several community pharmacies which automatically checks whether patients are eligible for free prescriptions, simplifying the process for patients and ensuring that people who are exempt from NHS prescription charges are not charged. Following a positive evaluation, we are now planning national roll out; and

- Working with the Professional Records Standards Body to publish new standards for data transfer between pharmacy systems and the GP patient record and will underpin the growing connectivity of community pharmacy service delivery with the rest of the NHS, for example allowing calls to NHS 111 to be redirected to a community pharmacy wherever appropriate.

Fintech offers a significant growth opportunity for the UK economy, providing new jobs, and delivering benefits to consumers through increased competition and innovation in financial services.

The Fintech sector contributes £6.6bn annually to the economy, employing 60,000 people across 1,600 companies.

The government’s ambition is for the UK to consolidate its world-leading position in FinTech and to become the leading global hub for financial innovation. In recent months I have held a roundtable with FinTech firms to discuss how to maximise opportunities for the sector and recently met the regional FinTech envoy to Scotland to discuss the benefits FinTech can offer across the UK.

FinTech, including opportunities for collaboration in this area, forms a key part of the UK’s bilateral financial services discussions. The UK currently has four FinTech Bridges – with Singapore, the Republic of Korea, China, and Hong Kong.