We cannot comment on specific assessments into cyber-security risks. The protection and security of the energy sector is an absolute priority of this Government. As an open economy, we welcome foreign trade and investment where it supports growth and jobs in the UK, meets our stringent legal and regulatory requirements, and does not compromise our national security.

We continue to take a consistent, long-term and strategic approach to managing relations with China and will co-operate where we can, and challenge where we must.

The Government is implementing Recommendation 7 of the Strategic Defence Review through reforms to Defence's Science, Technology and Innovation system, ensuring it is better aligned to Defence priorities and able to deliver technological advantage at greater pace.

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) continue to provide Defence's core research, analysis and evaluation capabilities, including long-term and applied research and the development of technologies critical to national security. The Ministry of Defence has also established UK Defence Innovation (UKDI), delivering the Strategic Defence Review recommendation to provide dedicated funding to support innovative UK companies and accelerate the adoption of technologies that strengthen Defence and Security capability. Together with the Defence Investment Unit, these organisations form a more integrated science, technology and innovation system within the National Armaments Director Group.

The Ministry of Defence has also launched the Defence Universities Alliance, bringing together 35 universities to strengthen collaboration on research, skills and talent development, and is implementing a new approach to horizon scanning and strategic foresight. This work has been informed by engagement across Government and supports the Department's wider Science, Technology and Innovation ambitions set out in both the Strategic Defence Review and Defence Industrial Strategy.

Ethical and integrity considerations are integral to government procurement. Any credible concerns relating to governance, legality, security, or human rights are assessed alongside technical and commercial factors. A supplier that does not meet the required legal, ethical, or security standards will not be eligible for a government contract.

The Government is implementing Recommendation 7 of the Strategic Defence Review through reforms to Defence's Science, Technology and Innovation system, ensuring it is better aligned to Defence priorities and able to deliver technological advantage at greater pace.

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) continue to provide Defence's core research, analysis and evaluation capabilities, including long-term and applied research and the development of technologies critical to national security. The Ministry of Defence has also established UK Defence Innovation (UKDI), delivering the Strategic Defence Review recommendation to provide dedicated funding to support innovative UK companies and accelerate the adoption of technologies that strengthen Defence and Security capability. Together with the Defence Investment Unit, these organisations form a more integrated science, technology and innovation system within the National Armaments Director Group.

The Ministry of Defence has also launched the Defence Universities Alliance, bringing together 35 universities to strengthen collaboration on research, skills and talent development, and is implementing a new approach to horizon scanning and strategic foresight. This work has been informed by engagement across Government and supports the Department's wider Science, Technology and Innovation ambitions set out in both the Strategic Defence Review and Defence Industrial Strategy.

Ethical and integrity considerations are integral to government procurement. Any credible concerns relating to governance, legality, security, or human rights are assessed alongside technical and commercial factors. A supplier that does not meet the required legal, ethical, or security standards will not be eligible for a government contract.

Ethical and integrity considerations are integral to government procurement. Any credible concerns relating to governance, legality, security, or human rights are assessed alongside technical and commercial factors. A supplier that does not meet the required legal, ethical, or security standards will not be eligible for a government contract.

The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) outlines how Defence will outpace threats, including rapid advances in technology, through sustained investment in warfighting readiness, the rapid introduction of new capabilities, and the integration of advanced and emerging technologies across the force. This requires a model of constant innovation and there is therefore no end state for the Integrated Force.

Evidence gathered through force testing events, as well as lessons identified from contemporary conflicts, will ensure we constantly evaluate the impact of changing technology on our force design and the threat trajectory of our adversaries. The Secretary of State will receive an annual statement detailing how the integrated force model has changed in response to ensure accountability for the continual adaptation of the Integrated Force over time.

The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme is sustaining and growing the UK’s Combat Air sector and the UK's strong international position in combat air exports. The Global Combat Air Programme will deliver a sixth-generation crewed combat aircraft which is well-placed for export. Technologies developed through FCAS offer further, wide opportunities for export.

The JEF continues to build its role in defence innovation, with First Sea Lord’s JEF Maritime initiative marking a significant step forward in the JEF Northern Navies partnership. It underscores a shared commitment among JEF partners to move beyond periodic activity towards a more integrated maritime enterprise enabling forces to combine rapidly, operate seamlessly and respond decisively and immediately to emerging threats

By renewing emphasis on collaboration and aligning doctrine, training, planning, sustainment and capability development, JEF nations will operate more closely than ever before, building trust, interoperability to act and fight together and ultimately the ability to substitute, swap, or mix equipment, parts, ammunition, or personnel across participating navies. At the March 2026 JEF Leaders' Summit, leaders agreed further measures to strengthen NATO's northern flank, enhance readiness and deterrence, counter hybrid threats, protect critical infrastructure and deepen cooperation with Ukraine.

The United States is our close ally and tech partner. We are committed to ensuring that that bond delivers real benefits for hardworking people on both sides of the Atlantic.

We continue to have regular discussions with the US administration on science and technology, including co-hosting the upcoming Global Fusion Policy Summit with the US later this month.

As part of the wider the Technology Prosperity Deal, America’s top technology and AI firms committed to invest a combined £31 billion into the UK. These investments will build new data centres, grow AI start-ups and develop advanced quantum computers.

The government remains committed to ensuring effective oversight of science and technology investment across departments.

Individual departments remain responsible for their own science and technology budgets. Following the transfer of science and innovation responsibilities to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, the government continues to ensure effective cross-government oversight through existing cross-departmental governance arrangements for science and technology, bringing departments together to align investments, share evidence and identify opportunities for collaboration on shared priorities.

The Department will continue to work with Ministers, the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, the CSA network, HMT and senior R&D officials across Government to maintain a strategic view of science and technology investment across Government, and help ensure that science and technology investment delivers maximum benefit for the UK.

The Government is implementing Recommendation 7 of the Strategic Defence Review through reforms to Defence's Science, Technology and Innovation system, ensuring it is better aligned to Defence priorities and able to deliver technological advantage at greater pace.

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) continue to provide Defence's core research, analysis and evaluation capabilities, including long-term and applied research and the development of technologies critical to national security. The Ministry of Defence has also established UK Defence Innovation (UKDI), delivering the Strategic Defence Review recommendation to provide dedicated funding to support innovative UK companies and accelerate the adoption of technologies that strengthen Defence and Security capability. Together with the Defence Investment Unit, these organisations form a more integrated science, technology and innovation system within the National Armaments Director Group.

The Ministry of Defence has also launched the Defence Universities Alliance, bringing together 35 universities to strengthen collaboration on research, skills and talent development, and is implementing a new approach to horizon scanning and strategic foresight. This work has been informed by engagement across Government and supports the Department's wider Science, Technology and Innovation ambitions set out in both the Strategic Defence Review and Defence Industrial Strategy.

His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) is satisfied that the protective body armour issued to specialist staff is appropriate for its intended operational purpose. The equipment was selected to provide protection against identified risks while remaining suitable for prolonged operational use. Feedback from users and operational assurance arrangements continue to inform our assessment of its effectiveness.

Following the serious assault at HMP Frankland in April 2025, HMPPS has taken steps to strengthen staff safety and is progressing a range of protective capabilities intended to reduce the risk and impact of assaults on prison officers.

This includes a significant expansion in the provision of protective body armour, with HMPPS committed to equipping up to 10,000 staff by March 2027. Protective body armour is already mandated for staff working in some of the highest-risk areas of the Long-Term High Security Estate, and it also used in other high-risk operational contexts.

HMPPS has introduced Conducted Energy Devices (CEDs), commonly known as TASERs, on a phased and controlled basis, by staff in its specialist Operational Response and Resilience Unit. This has enabled HMPPS to test capability in the prison environment, learn from operational use and develop the necessary policy, training, assurance and safeguards. Subject to the necessary governance and operational arrangements being in place, HMPPS plans to begin training Local Response Team staff across the Long Term High Security Estate in the use of CEDs later this year.

These measures form part of HMPPS’s wider risk-based and evidence-led approach to staff safety, ensuring that new protective capabilities are introduced in a controlled and proportionate way and informed by operational learning.

Since publication of the Defence Industrial Strategy on 8 September 2025, the Department has strengthened collaboration with industry, NATO Allies and international partners, including the United States, to support UK defence exports, deepen strategic partnerships, improve information sharing and promote a NATO-first approach to industrial co-operation. National Armaments International is supporting UK companies to compete overseas, with record successes in 2025 including the UK’s biggest ever warship deal to Norway and the largest fighter jet exports agreement in a generation, promoting global security while boosting growth at home.

The Department is also giving industry clearer long-term demand signals, investing in priority capabilities, strengthening supply chains and rebuilding capacity in critical sectors including munitions, complex weapons, shipbuilding and combat air. Alongside this, it is investing in defence skills, regional growth, innovation and expanded production capacity, while exploring further measures - through the Defence Readiness Bill which is due later this Parliament - to support industrial resilience, readiness and surge capacity.

As part of our NATO-first approach, the UK continues to work with Allies to deliver the ambitions of NATO’s Defence Production Action Plan and NATO’s Industrial Capacity Expansion Pledge to improve industrial readiness, resilience, interoperability and surge capacity across the Alliance. The UK also joined Allies in endorsing the new Strategy for Industry NATO Cooperation at the recent Ankara summit and maintains a strong partnership with the UK delegation to the NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG), enabling senior industrialists to offer expertise and strategic insight on a wide range of security policy, defence planning, and capability issues. The UK’s hosting of the NIAG plenary in June 2026 also showcased a shared government-industry commitment to our national contribution to NATO’s collective capability and the opportunities for Allied industrial cooperation.

Since publication of the Strategic Defence Review, the Ministry of Defence has continued work to strengthen digital, cyber, data and AI capabilities, accelerate innovation, and implement reforms to improve the delivery of advanced technologies to the Armed Forces.

The Defence Industrial Strategy also supports delivery of the Strategic Defence Review's vision through a new partnership with industry, strengthening innovation, driving growth, and improving the UK's ability to develop and field advanced military capabilities quickly.

The Ministry of Defence is taking a range of approaches to accelerate the adoption of emerging technologies. The Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser (OCSA) is leading work to cohere and drive our Defence-wide science, innovation and technology (SIT) enterprise. This includes organisations in National Armaments such as the Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and UK Defence Innovation (UKDI), which is working with Military Commands, innovators and commercial partners to identify operational needs and rapidly develop and exploit promising technologies. Defence is working on a broad range of emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), autonomy, quantum, directed energy weapons and engineering biology. Activity spans research, development, integration, testing and trials, doctrine and policy – all the elements needed to field military capabilities incorporating emerging technologies successfully.

UK Defence Innovation (UKDI), launched on 1 July 2025, unites expertise from previously separate organisations to accelerate the delivery of cutting-edge innovative capabilities, ensuring the United Kingdom remains secure at home and strong abroad. With ringfenced annual funding of at least £400 million, UKDI consolidates innovation efforts across the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to rapidly deliver new technology to the front line and support the growth of a robust defence technology industry.

UKDI serves as a catalyst for growth in the defence, security, and dual-use technology sectors, contributing to the governments aims by creating highly skilled jobs and driving economic growth. Since July 2026, UKDI has been transitioning into its fully designed operating model, with the financial year 2026/27 serving as a transitional period focused on scaling delivery, embedding performance management, and demonstrating measurable impact against Defence outcomes.

The new Defence acquisition model establishes a single, coherent route for innovation from idea to delivery, embedding innovation within core decision-making processes rather than treating it as a parallel activity. Innovation is mandated at every stage—including problem statements, options development, commercial design, commissioning, and delivery—to ensure the early exploitation of novel technologies. UKDI prioritises and funds innovation alongside all other Defence activities, operating within the same strategic frameworks and governance while maintaining the necessary freedoms to operate at pace.

Fraud is the most common crime in this country; its impact can be devastating for individuals and businesses and this Government is committed to tackling it, including by the doubling of the Economic Crime Levy. The Fisher Review made a number of recommendations, including on the role of technology companies, and we are considering those recommendations thoroughly.

The first AUKUS Pillar II Signature Project, developing cutting-edge payloads for nations’ Uncrewed Undersea Vehicles, is demonstrating how trusted allies can work together on advanced technologies. It is testing the core features of a future technology partnership, including shared priorities and requirements from the outset, interoperability by design, early industry involvement, and export control and technology sharing reforms.

Additionally, the Maritime Big Play exercise series under Pillar II provides an operational testing ground to integrate and demonstrate autonomous and uncrewed maritime technologies into interoperable and interchangeable capabilities.

The Government is supporting agri-tech through targeted innovation, adoption, scale-up and export measures. In the Industrial Strategy, we committed to invest at least £200 million in the Farming Innovation Programme (FIP) by 2030, with £123 million available for FIP competitions in 2026/27, including Farming Innovation Investor Partnerships to crowd in private capital and grants to help farmers trial and adopt new technologies. Innovate UK programmes will help businesses commercialise and manufacture new products, while a new Agri-Tech Export Accelerator will support firms to pursue global opportunities. Agri-tech companies can also access wides support for skills, business finance and innovation.

The Ultra-Long Duration Energy Storage (ULDES) Challenge is part of the Government's Research and Development Mission Accelerator Programme (R&D MAP). A key element of the Programme is a focus not only on technology development, but also on the wider policy, regulatory, market and commercial conditions needed for successful deployment. DESNZ is working closely with UK Research and Innovation, regulators and industry to identify how they can work together to ensure that technologies emerging from the Programme can achieve real-world deployment and impact.

The Government recognises that there are opportunities to improve how the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) accommodates and recognises new energy-saving technologies and is taking steps to address these as part of the transition to the Home Energy Model.

We have strengthened our latest contractual Key Performance Indicators to refine guidance materials and improve application timescales. Additionally, the new modular HEM will enable new technologies to be recognised in the core engine on a more frequent basis, removing the need for a ‘bolt-on’ calculation.

The Government is taking steps to ensure that the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) continues to recognise innovative energy- saving technologies and remains fit for purpose during the transition to the Home Energy Model.

We have strengthened KPIs in our latest contracts to improve application timescales and the operation of the product recognition process. This includes working with our commercial partners to define timeframes where appropriate and refining guidance materials to deliver a clearer end-to-end process.

We are committed to improving access to National Health Service dentistry and are making use of available digital tools to help patients identify where NHS dental care may be available. For example, the NHS website’s “Find a dentist” service remains a key route for patients to identify local NHS dental practices and whether they are accepting new patients. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-dentist

NHS dentists are required to update their NHS.UK website profiles, which include information on whether they are accepting new patients, at least every 90 days, to ensure patients have up-to-date information on where they can access care.

In the longer term, our 10-Year Health Plan sets out our vision for the future of the NHS, with a shift from analogue to digital, harnessing the power of modern technology to create the most digitally accessible health system in the world.

Defence continues to engage with companies, SMEs, investors and academic institutions across the defence and dual-use technology sectors to support innovation, strengthen the UK industrial base and bolster UK sovereign capability. However, the Department does not maintain records of engagement categorised by Parliamentary constituency.

In March 2026, government and Ofgem published the Energy Digitalisation Framework to provide strategic direction for energy sector digitalisation. The Framework introduced a data domain model to improve data quality and standardisation across key areas, including system and network operation.

It also established the concept of a Digitalisation Coordination Function to support common standards, architectural coherence and cross-sector alignment. The Department plans to consult on the Function’s design later this year.

Government are taking steps to improve visibility of low carbon technology assets on the distribution network, including through an industry group and new primary legislation when parliamentary time allows.

The upcoming Energy Resilience Strategy will seize the once in a generation opportunity presented by the clean energy transition to build a stronger, more resilient energy system.

It would be inappropriate to pre-empt the content of the Strategy at this time, however I can confirm the Strategy will set out Government's strategic priorities for a secure and resilient system, now and in the future and our approach to its delivery, working with industry, the system operator, the regulator and wider society.

All schools and multi-academy trusts are responsible for selecting technology that meets their own educational needs, context and supports them in meeting statutory responsibilities.

Those choices should be informed, evidence-based decisions. To support schools, our EdTech Evidence Board programme set out a framework of advice and questions schools can ask EdTech suppliers to support evidence-based decisions. We are also in the process of setting up EdTech Testbed Programme to assess and generate evidence on the effectiveness and impact of technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), in real education settings. Lastly, we are developing AI benchmarks as a way to test the effective product development of AI tools.

The department does not currently recommend, endorse or encourage any specific educational technology products for use in schools.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, MOD Ministers and officials have maintained a continuous dialogue across government, the private sector, and with Ukrainian counterparts to enable UK industry to collaborate on and support Ukraine’s highest priorities.

The National Audit Office report in September 2024 on UK support to Ukraine recognised the speed, innovation and collaboration shown by MOD in equipping and supporting Ukraine. The changes we are making to our procurement rules are similarly increasing the speed of procurement for our own armed forces.

Our bilateral arrangements with Ukraine facilitate the exchange of battlefield technology, the co-development of cutting-edge military capability and the creation of new intellectual property, all of which will be reinforced by the UK defence business centre about to open in Kyiv to provide UK companies, particularly SMEs, greater access to Ukraine’s military challenges and Ukrainian industry.

The UK is committed to deepening its defence industrial partnership with Ukraine, including by helping Ukrainian defence technology companies engage with UK industry, innovation networks, and potential routes to production, especially where these align with UK capability priorities and national security requirements.

The Ministry of Defence works across Government, including with the Department for Business and Trade, Task Force Kindred, DASA, Dstl and UK Defence Innovation, to connect Ukrainian companies with UK commercial, research, testing, and investment pathways. They also highlight trade opportunities, engage with Ukrainian government, military, and industry stakeholders, and support the navigation of operating and compliance requirements. Officials have engaged with representatives of the UK/EU-Ukraine Defence Innovation Corridor and provided advice on how that early-stage proposal could align with existing UK-Ukraine defence innovation activity.

The Ministry of Defence continues to identify and exploit defence and industrial collaboration opportunities with Ukraine. Under our 100-Year Partnership, we are establishing stronger and closer defence cooperation both on a governmental and industrial basis.

Through Programme LYRA, launched by the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy in June 2025, we have facilitated co-production arrangements, including the development of new, shared, intellectual property and cutting-edge capability. The recent update to Ukraine's export control regime, earlier this month is welcomed.

Under our 100-Year Partnership we will build an enduring alliance between our two countries and deliver maximum benefit for both the UK and Ukraine's long-term security and prosperity.

The Government does not determine which technology police forces procure or deploy. This is a matter for operationally independent Chief Constables, held accountable by directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners.

The Home Office does recognise the importance of better linking data across multiple systems and using technology to ensure improved operational outcomes. In the recent Government White Paper From Local to National: A New Model for Policing, published in January, we set out our ambitious plans for police reform. This includes launching a new National Data Integration and Exploitation Service and a new National Centre for AI in Policing (“PoliceAI”) which is investing £115 million over the next 3 years.

The Government has been working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council to produce a system which will provide forces with automated intelligence alerts from the Police National Database (PND) on individuals working in policing. The Home Office has provided £1.5m for a proof of concept and an additional approximately £2m towards development of a pilot for this work, known as ‘Continuous Integrity Screening’, which some forces are planning to run before the end of this year. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is also considering how it may apply AI and automation capability in its processes’

In addition, the Government provides ongoing funding to the National Police Wellbeing Service to provide support to forces and individuals, including a National Police Workforce and Wellbeing Survey. This provides evidence-based insights into wellbeing, helping forces identify patterns in welfare issues and broader organisational risks, benchmark against national findings, and inform targeted wellbeing interventions. On top of ongoing funding, the Government is providing additional funding of £2.4m this year to the National Police Wellbeing Service to increase support to forces as set out in the Police Reform White Paper, including measures to help monitor and prevent welfare issues.

In the Industrial Strategy, Government set out an ambition to drive innovation in agriculture. We committed to invest at least £200 million in the Farming Innovation Programme by 2030, with £123 million available for competitions in 2026-27. To date, the programme has supported more than 300 projects, including innovations in fruit crop protection and dairy health in Horsham. Frontier industries are supported through a range of interventions tailored to their specific growth opportunities and barriers, rather than through directly comparable funding allocations. Progress is reported through our Quarterly Updates and recent one-year Industrial Strategy delivery update.

The Department of Business and Trade has expertise committed to delivering economic growth in the agri-tech sector and helping to deliver the outcomes of the Industrial Strategy.

The AI and cyber-security sectors make up core parts of the UK’s growing technology sector as set out in the Modern Industrial Strategy digital and technologies sector plan. The UK AI sector alone contributed £11.8 billion in Gross Value Added to the UK economy in 2024, supporting more than 86,000 jobs. We have seen large recent investments in the UK from leading firms, including AMD's £2 billion commitment. In total, over £90 billion of capital investment has been pledged to be spent in the UK's AI sector since this Government came to power.

The Government’s Cyber Security Sectoral Analysis 2026 shows the UK cyber security sector is worth £14.7 billion and contributed £9.1 billion in GVA to the UK economy in 2025. The analysis found that UK dedicated cyber security firms raised £184 million of investment across 47 deals in 2025. Notable fundraisings in 2025 include Inforcer, which raised £26 million; Maze with £18.4 million and Optalysys with £23 million.

The Obesity Pathway Innovation Programme evaluation has been commissioned independently through the National Institute for Health and Care Research and is entirely independent of Eli Lilly and Company. The evaluation team is currently working with funded projects to understand service delivery models and planned data collection, with the final evaluation framework being developed by Autumn 2026. The findings of this independent evaluation will inform national decision-making, including future evidence requirements, and the outputs of the independent evaluation will be disseminated and made publicly available as appropriate.

When replacing a fossil fuel heating system with a heat pump or other low carbon technology, the expectation and rules for waste disposal are the same as like-for-like replacements.

Guidance for the disposal of appliances varies by product categorisation. Advice on waste management can be found on gov.uk.