It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

It has not proved possible to reply to the hon. Member in the time available before prorogation

Age verification technologies are well developed and already in use across a range of sectors, including financial services and the online sales of age restricted goods. Age estimation technologies are developing rapidly and there are a growing number of privacy-preserving tools being developed that will ensure that platforms know the age of their users and can provide a safe and age-appropriate experience for children.

Ofcom will set out in its guidance examples of the kinds of age verification and age estimation measures that can be used to meet the duties set out in the Bill – this includes setting out the kinds of technologies that are highly effective in determining whether a particular user is a child for the purpose of protecting children from pornography and other primary priority content that is harmful to children.

The Government is developing a new nuclear National Policy Statement (NPS), which will cover the policy framework for deploying new nuclear power stations beyond 2025. As a first step towards developing the new nuclear NPS, we intend to consult before the end of the year on a proposed way forward for determining how new nuclear developments might be located, including the potential for deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and other advanced nuclear technologies.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has not been involved with Just Transition Task Force report entitled Mapping a Maritime Just Transition, published 9 Nov 2022 therefore no assessments to this report have been made.

The Department is working closely with NHS England and NHS Supply Chain to improve National Health Service procurement of innovative medical technology.

Building on the work of NHS Supply Chain to consider the potential benefits and practical application of value-based procurement (VBP), we are developing a consistent methodology for VBP to be adopted at a national and local level. This aims to shift procurement decisions away from an emphasis on reducing product costs to consider technologies that represent a reduction in total costs within the patient pathway.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence will undertake new Multi-Technology Evaluations of technologies in use and at a later stage in their lifecycle. These evaluations will enable comparisons between similar products, so that we can send a clear, evidence-based signal on value to NHS decision makers, clinicians, and patients.

The Department is consulting on proposals to update processes on applications to the Part IX of the drug tariff in primary care. The proposals include increasing patient input into decision making, recognising what makes a product valuable to a patient.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is in the process of commissioning independent research which will look at a wide range of themes, including changing audience viewing habits and technologies that will impact how shows are brought to our screens, both now, and in the decades to come. The research will inform wider work looking at the future of television distribution.

In accordance with Government Social Research guidelines, the research will be published in due course.

In 2020, the Government committed up to £385m to an Advanced Nuclear Fund to provide funding for a Small Modular Reactor (SMR) design and to progress plans for an Advanced Modular Reactor demonstration by the early 2030s. In July 2023, the Government shortlisted potential grants from the Future Nuclear Enabling Fund, releasing up to £77.1m of targeted support for new nuclear development.

Great British Nuclear, the arms-length body responsible for helping to deliver new nuclear projects, has launched a Technology Selection Process (TSP) to select the SMR technologies best able to deliver projects by the mid-2030s. Six companies have been down-selected for the next stage of the process. The Government is also consulting in the autumn on alternative routes to markets for new nuclear projects, in addition to the TSP.

The Department’s inaugural Medical Technology (MedTech) Strategy was published on 3 February 2023, building on the broader Life Sciences Vision. We are committed to ensuring that the Department utilises innovative MedTech as implementation progresses.

The MedTech Strategy includes a range of initiatives aimed at streamlining the end-to-end innovation pathway, including procurement routes, to expedite patient access to MedTech and boost adoption within the National Health Service.

The Innovative Devices Access Pathway pilot was launched on 19 September 2023. This new pathway will provide multi-partner support for the rapid development of innovative technologies for adoption into the NHS to address unmet clinical needs. More information on the pilot is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-innovative-devices-access-pathway-idap

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence will undertake new Multi-Technology Evaluations of technologies in use and at a later stage in their lifecycle. These evaluations will enable comparisons between similar products and support the NHS to make better informed decisions on the right product for the right price.

The Department is working closely with NHS Supply Chain and NHS England to develop a consistent methodology for value-based procurement (VBP). VBP aims to shift procurement decisions away from an emphasis on reducing product costs to working with industry to consider technologies that represent a reduction in total costs within the patient pathway. Timeframes are still being determined.

The Department will consult on updating processes on applications to Part IX of the Drug Tariff to support the adoption of innovation in primary and community care.

The NHS Innovation Service is providing innovators with the resources, tools and support they need to increase the chances of getting their product or idea adopted by the NHS. More information is available at the following link:

https://innovation.nhs.uk/

We plan to assess the impact of these initiatives through the MedTech Strategy Programme governance structures.

The Department’s inaugural Medical Technology (MedTech) Strategy was published on 3 February 2023, building on the broader Life Sciences Vision. We are committed to ensuring that the Department utilises innovative MedTech as implementation progresses.

The MedTech Strategy includes a range of initiatives aimed at streamlining the end-to-end innovation pathway, including procurement routes, to expedite patient access to MedTech and boost adoption within the National Health Service.

The Innovative Devices Access Pathway pilot was launched on 19 September 2023. This new pathway will provide multi-partner support for the rapid development of innovative technologies for adoption into the NHS to address unmet clinical needs. More information on the pilot is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-innovative-devices-access-pathway-idap

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence will undertake new Multi-Technology Evaluations of technologies in use and at a later stage in their lifecycle. These evaluations will enable comparisons between similar products and support the NHS to make better informed decisions on the right product for the right price.

The Department is working closely with NHS Supply Chain and NHS England to develop a consistent methodology for value-based procurement (VBP). VBP aims to shift procurement decisions away from an emphasis on reducing product costs to working with industry to consider technologies that represent a reduction in total costs within the patient pathway. Timeframes are still being determined.

The Department will consult on updating processes on applications to Part IX of the Drug Tariff to support the adoption of innovation in primary and community care.

The NHS Innovation Service is providing innovators with the resources, tools and support they need to increase the chances of getting their product or idea adopted by the NHS. More information is available at the following link:

https://innovation.nhs.uk/

We plan to assess the impact of these initiatives through the MedTech Strategy Programme governance structures.

The Department’s inaugural Medical Technology (MedTech) Strategy was published on 3 February 2023, building on the broader Life Sciences Vision. We are committed to ensuring that the Department utilises innovative MedTech as implementation progresses.

The MedTech Strategy includes a range of initiatives aimed at streamlining the end-to-end innovation pathway, including procurement routes, to expedite patient access to MedTech and boost adoption within the National Health Service.

The Innovative Devices Access Pathway pilot was launched on 19 September 2023. This new pathway will provide multi-partner support for the rapid development of innovative technologies for adoption into the NHS to address unmet clinical needs. More information on the pilot is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-innovative-devices-access-pathway-idap

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence will undertake new Multi-Technology Evaluations of technologies in use and at a later stage in their lifecycle. These evaluations will enable comparisons between similar products and support the NHS to make better informed decisions on the right product for the right price.

The Department is working closely with NHS Supply Chain and NHS England to develop a consistent methodology for value-based procurement (VBP). VBP aims to shift procurement decisions away from an emphasis on reducing product costs to working with industry to consider technologies that represent a reduction in total costs within the patient pathway. Timeframes are still being determined.

The Department will consult on updating processes on applications to Part IX of the Drug Tariff to support the adoption of innovation in primary and community care.

The NHS Innovation Service is providing innovators with the resources, tools and support they need to increase the chances of getting their product or idea adopted by the NHS. More information is available at the following link:

https://innovation.nhs.uk/

We plan to assess the impact of these initiatives through the MedTech Strategy Programme governance structures.

The Department’s inaugural Medical Technology (MedTech) Strategy was published on 3 February 2023, building on the broader Life Sciences Vision. We are committed to ensuring that the Department utilises innovative MedTech as implementation progresses.

The MedTech Strategy includes a range of initiatives aimed at streamlining the end-to-end innovation pathway, including procurement routes, to expedite patient access to MedTech and boost adoption within the National Health Service.

The Innovative Devices Access Pathway pilot was launched on 19 September 2023. This new pathway will provide multi-partner support for the rapid development of innovative technologies for adoption into the NHS to address unmet clinical needs. More information on the pilot is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-innovative-devices-access-pathway-idap

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence will undertake new Multi-Technology Evaluations of technologies in use and at a later stage in their lifecycle. These evaluations will enable comparisons between similar products and support the NHS to make better informed decisions on the right product for the right price.

The Department is working closely with NHS Supply Chain and NHS England to develop a consistent methodology for value-based procurement (VBP). VBP aims to shift procurement decisions away from an emphasis on reducing product costs to working with industry to consider technologies that represent a reduction in total costs within the patient pathway. Timeframes are still being determined.

The Department will consult on updating processes on applications to Part IX of the Drug Tariff to support the adoption of innovation in primary and community care.

The NHS Innovation Service is providing innovators with the resources, tools and support they need to increase the chances of getting their product or idea adopted by the NHS. More information is available at the following link:

https://innovation.nhs.uk/

We plan to assess the impact of these initiatives through the MedTech Strategy Programme governance structures.

The Government's Science and Technology Framework, published March 2023, recognises the importance of training across the five critical technologies. The talent and skills strand outlines the actions the Government is taking across the science and technology landscape. This includes establishing 21 Institutes of Technology to provide industry-standard training facilities. Technology-specific examples include £25 million increased investment in quantum fellowships, doctoral training and apprenticeships. Additionally, the Government is providing £117 million for AI researchers doctoral training, and publishing new guidance that sets out AI competencies for the workplace. Investment in training will contribute to realising the UK’s 2030 science superpower ambitions.

The most recent Defence Command Paper highlighted the importance of science, innovation and technology in securing strategic advantage for our Armed Forces. Defence is investing over £6.6 billion in advanced Research and Development, working closely with UK industry and academia, including Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), to identify and invest in innovative technologies, ensuring we have the capabilities we need to address our most pressing threats.

The latest technological support for people with diabetes, the hybrid closed loop system (the ‘artificial pancreas’) is currently progressing through the final stages of a Technical Assessment by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Ensuring that these technologies can be provided on the National Health Service at a cost-effective price increases access to these technologies for all eligible people.

The latest data shows over 60% of people with Type 1 diabetes were prescribed flash glucose monitoring, against an NHS Long Term Plan target of 20%. When the programme commenced, Flash was twice more likely to be prescribed to patients living in the most affluent areas. The current ratio between most and least affluent is now down to less than 1.2 times more likely, with many areas reporting complete parity.

As of October 2022, 97% of pregnant women living with type 1 diabetes were offered continuous glucose monitoring. The latest figures indicate that there is equitable access to the technology across deciles and ethnicities in the Indices of Multiple Deprivation.

NHS England has commissioned digital support programmes for people with diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes can self-refer to ‘MyType1 Diabetes’ and people with type 2 diabetes can self-refer to the online Healthy Living Programme.

Approximately 72% of children and young people living with type 1 diabetes have registered with the Digibete app, a free online service to support children and young people to manage their type 1 diabetes.

The Spring 2023 Budget contained a package of over £400 million to support the long-term sick, and disabled. This includes approximately £200 million for digital mental health – to modernise NHS Talking Therapies services in England. NHS Talking Therapies services provide evidence-based psychological treatments for people with depression and anxiety disorders, and comorbid long-term physical health conditions such as diabetes.

Building on Type 1 Disordered Eating (T1DE) pilots the NHS Diabetes Programme approved funding for five additional T1DE sites.

The Government is committed to ensuring research is translated into real-world impact. For example, providing over £100 million over the next three years for Impact Acceleration Accounts and £37.5 million this year for translating medical research through the Medical Research Council’s Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme. Government is providing £350 million for technology missions to translate research into transformative applications across four critical technologies and investing £65 million in an interdisciplinary research call. Through Research England’s £280 million Higher Education Innovation Fund and its Connecting Capabilities Fund, Government is funding skills development, including entrepreneurship training, for researchers and commercialisation professionals.

Between March 2021 and March 2023, the Department awarded a total of £10.8 million in grant-funding to Tech Nation to support UK tech businesses. Of this, £111,804 was allocated to the Libra programme, excluding Tech Nation’s staff overhead costs. We thank Tech Nation for their valuable work and are pleased to hear that Founders Forum will be relaunching Tech Nation later this year. The Department is not involved in any decisions regarding the continuity of the Libra programme.

The Department assessed the impact of Tech Nation’s growth programmes, such as Libra, through the recently published independent evaluation of DSIT funding to Tech Nation between FY 2020-21 and FY 2022-2023. The Libra Programme supported at least 75 founders from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Given the importance of this issue, the Department embedded diversity and inclusion in the design of the £12m Digital Growth Grant competition. Via this new grant delivered by Barclays Eagle Labs, the Department is continuing to fund dedicated programmes that support underrepresented tech founders. Targeted programmes include the Black Venture Growth Programme, which will support 20 founders per year, and the Female Founders Programme, supporting over 100 founders per year. In addition, Barclays Eagle Labs aims for all grant-funded activities to support a minimum of 35% of founders from backgrounds underrepresented in the tech sector.

In addition to the Digital Growth Grant, the Department also continues to support equality and diversity initiatives in the tech ecosystem more widely, including via its funding to the Tech Talent Charter (TTC). Government has supported the Tech Talent Charter (TTC) since 2017 and this funding has enabled TTC to support over 800 organisations to drive diversity and inclusion in their workforces.

The Government is clear that universities must operate within the law, and is committed to supporting UK research institutions to engage with Chinese companies in a way that reflects the UK’s values and takes account of national security concerns.  As part of our proactive engagement with academia, the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology provides the Research Collaboration Advice Team (RCAT) to give advice to all universities, including the University of Cambridge, on national security risks in international collaborations. RCAT promotes greater understanding about the UK’s security policies and regulations, and has provided tailored advice on many complex issues which have resulted in targeted mitigations of national security concerns.

The Department funds and enables research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). In 2022/23, the NIHR budget was approximately £1.25 billion and enabling translation of research into practice is embedded across multiple workstreams in the NIHR portfolio. Its close working with the NHS England Accelerated Access Collaborative also promotes the adoption and diffusion of proven innovations and the decommissioning of ineffective or superseded interventions. The Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway, launched in 2021, also aims to accelerate the time to market by streamlining the regulatory and access processes, particularly for innovative and promising medicines, ensuring that they reach patients more efficiently and rapidly.