Departmental officials regularly discuss a range of issues with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), including in relation to the application of the severity modifier that was introduced in 2022. NICE is responsible for determining whether a severity weighting should apply to the evaluation of individual medicines in line with its published methods and processes. NICE has recently published draft guidance for consultation on the use of Orkambi, Symkevi and Kaftrio for the treatment of cystic fibrosis and stakeholders now have an opportunity to comment on NICE’s recommendations. NICE continues to work with stakeholders to address the issues highlighted by the committee in the draft guidance.

My Department works closely with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on decarbonising aviation and technology, including through the Jet Zero Council.

The Government is supporting the development of new low and zero-carbon emission aircraft - co-investing £3.9 billion with industry in aerospace research and technology from 2013 to 2026 through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) Programme. The recent Spending Review has extended our commitment to co-invest in aerospace by guaranteeing funding for the ATI Programme to 2031. Government is also funding the £15 million ATI-led FlyZero project. This in-depth research study has brought together experts from across industry and academia to explore the potential for zero-carbon emission aircraft.

As part of the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, the Government is supporting research into Zero Emission Flight Infrastructure through £3 million of funding this financial year. This includes research activity on the integration of hydrogen into airports. In September, we announced the award of fifteen grants to organisations as part of this project, the details of which may be found on www.gov.uk here:

Winners of £3 million zero emission flight aviation competition announced - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

We are also investing up to £125 million, matched by £175 million from industry, in the Future Flight Challenge, to enable the use of new forms of electric and autonomous aircraft.

To deliver on the opportunities presented by hydrogen across the economy, including in aviation, the Government published the first ever UK Hydrogen Strategy, alongside policy detail on its support for low carbon hydrogen production across the UK.

This package details the key steps needed this decade to deliver our ambition for 5 giga watts of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030 and sets the context for a further scale up on the way to net zero.

Education helps prisoners to boost their employability, build their self-esteem, and make a law-abiding contribution to society post release. Since April 2019, we have invested more than £20 million in improving technology in prisons, including investing in infrastructure that will support educational delivery.

We do not need to legislate for that. We are absolutely committed to an enhanced prison education service, and I am pleased to be able to say that, in a prison close to the hon. Lady’s constituency, we are rolling out additional curriculum and neurodiversity specialists to drive reform. We absolutely believe in education and we are putting in the resources to ensure that it gets better every day.

The Government takes the need to balance technical capability and public safety in the deployment of Automated Lane Keeping Systems (ALKS) seriously. I met with Craig Tracey MP (Chair of the insurance APPG) and representatives of the insurance sector (Association of British Insurers, Thatcham Research and members of individual companies) on 11 February to discuss this. In addition, the department’s officials are in regular contact with manufacturers, insurers and enforcement authorities on this subject and have already held a number of meetings with them in 2021.

No assessment has been made against the Society of Automotive Engineers’ (SAE) levels and how they relate to Automated Lane Keeping Systems (ALKS). In a Call for Evidence held in 2020, the Department sought views on the “monitoring and control tests” to inform the Secretary of State’s decision on whether vehicles with ALKS technology meet the definition of automation under the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018. There was strong support for the criteria set out and the Department will publish a response outlining the process for making decisions in due course.

Based on the latest available information, Department for Transport (DfT) officials are not expecting vehicles with Automated Lane Keeping System (ALKS) to reach the UK before late 2021, and are developing amendments to legislation, the Highway Code and procedures in Great Britain to be ready by the Autumn. DfT officials are maintaining dialogue with manufacturers to understand their plans and timescales.

Until the Automated & Electric Vehicles Act 2018 has been commenced in April 2021, it is not possible to list any vehicle as automated. The Department for Transport sought views on the approach for listing in its August 2020 Call for Evidence. The Department will announce next steps and an approach for making decisions on listing in the Spring. However, the Department is not aware of any vehicle currently available that could be listed under the Act in the UK.

The Government is clear that drivers must be properly educated so they understand their responsibilities as well as the limitations of ALKS technology in their vehicle to ensure its safe use. The Department for Transport carried out a Call for Evidence last summer seeking views on rules to ensure safe use of ALKS. The Department will be working closely with the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to communicate these rules using the Highway Code, and with manufacturers to ensure there are clear messages about system capability and materials to understand how to use it.

In the Autumn Statement 2016 the Government announced that we will make Britain the global go-to nation for scientists, innovators and tech investors, by investing an extra £2 billion a year in R&D by 2020/21. This funding is in addition to the protection of the science resource budget in real terms from its 2015/16 level of £4.7 billion that was announced at the Spending Review in Autumn 2015, where the government also committed to invest in new scientific infrastructure on a record scale – £6.9 billion over the period 2015-2021.

The South West has received €300 million of Horizon 2020 funding to date. The government has committed to underwrite all Horizon 2020 awards, even when specific projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU. The decision to underwrite the grants of competitively bid for EU research funding will give British participants and their EU partners the assurance and certainty needed to plan ahead for projects that can run over many years.

This Government intends to secure the best possible outcome for the UK research base as we exit the European Union. We would welcome an agreement to continue to collaborate with our European partners on major science, research, and technology initiatives. However, whatever happens in the future, the Government is committed to ensuring the UK, including the South West, remains world leading in international research and innovation.

The Accelerated Access Review (AAR) published its recommendations last October and these are currently being considered by the Government.

The Review recommended the establishment of an Accelerated Access Partnership with the aim of getting strategically-important products to patients more quickly. If accepted, it will be for that body, which would include a wide range of representatives from industry and Government, to decide which treatments should be used to pilot the AAR’s recommendations.

The Government is considering the review’s recommendations and will provide a formal response in due course.