The Government is committed to improving opportunities across the skills system, with a particular focus on young people and those who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). Skills England works closely with employers, sector bodies and regional partners to support the development of technical education and apprenticeship pathways that align with labour market demand.

Life sciences is an industrial strategy sector for which a range of progression routes are available, including via apprenticeships, T Levels and Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs). Pathways are designed to support progression, with entry into life science roles through level 2 apprenticeships such as engineering operative or level 3 apprenticeships including laboratory technician and metrology technician. Skills England also worked with the West Midlands Combined Authority last year to develop a new HTQ to fill a critical skills gap in MedTech. Additionally, T Levels offer an alternative entry through the science or healthcare science T Levels.

Following publication of the final Milburn Review report, Skills England will work with relevant government departments, agencies, and local partners to support the implementation of recommendations aimed at reducing the number of young people who are NEET and improving access to high-quality training and employment opportunities.

I refer the Hon. Member to the statement issued by the Department on 26 October in respect of the attempted interference in the consultation process, which, for ease of reference, is reproduced below:

"We always have robust controls in place to prevent the manipulation of our public consultations, and those controls worked effectively in this case. As a result, the fake responses were removed, and the consultation helped inform the landmark action we are taking to create a smoke-free generation."

The Government takes the safety of our roads extremely seriously and is committed to ensuring the best possible standards for road enforcement equipment.

We continue to undertake necessary, robust and thorough technical work on the HADECS3X speed cameras and are seeking to conclude that work as soon as possible. We continue to work with partners, including the Department for Transport, National Highways, the police and the manufacturer of the cameras to support maintaining road safety.

The Home Office keeps the Home Office Type Approval (HOTA) process under review to ensure that applications are considered efficiently while maintaining the rigorous standards necessary to support the integrity of road traffic law enforcement.

The HOTA submissions guidance does not prohibit devices incorporating multiple functions. However, any enforcement capability for which HOTA is required must satisfy the relevant requirements.

The Government is committed to ensuring that clinically effective and cost-effective medical technologies are adopted more consistently across the National Health Service, so that patients can benefit from proven innovation wherever they live. The 10-Year Health Plan and Life Science Sector Plan published last year committed to expand National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisals used for branded medicines, publish guidance to introduce value-based procurement, and introduce an Innovator Passport.

The National HealthTech Access Programme was launched earlier this year to expand NICE Technology Appraisals to selected medical devices, diagnostics and digital products. The first technologies referred to NICE include capsule sponge tests to support earlier detection of oesophageal cancer and AI-assisted analysis of breast and prostate pathology images. Following publication of NICE appraisals early next year implementation plans to achieve national adoption will be confirmed. The Value Based Procurement guidance was published in June to support more consistent, evidence-based purchasing decisions focused on outcomes rather than lowest cost. The Innovator Passport is due to be launched over the coming months to enable better exchange and reuse of information to speed up local decision making.

The Government is committed to ensuring that clinically effective and cost-effective medical technologies are adopted more consistently across the National Health Service, so that patients can benefit from proven innovation wherever they live. The 10-Year Health Plan and Life Science Sector Plan published last year committed to expand National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisals used for branded medicines, publish guidance to introduce value-based procurement, and introduce an Innovator Passport.

The National HealthTech Access Programme was launched earlier this year to expand NICE Technology Appraisals to selected medical devices, diagnostics and digital products. The first technologies referred to NICE include capsule sponge tests to support earlier detection of oesophageal cancer and AI-assisted analysis of breast and prostate pathology images. Following publication of NICE appraisals early next year implementation plans to achieve national adoption will be confirmed. The Value Based Procurement guidance was published in June to support more consistent, evidence-based purchasing decisions focused on outcomes rather than lowest cost. The Innovator Passport is due to be launched over the coming months to enable better exchange and reuse of information to speed up local decision making.

The Government is committed to ensuring that clinically effective and cost-effective medical technologies are adopted more consistently across the National Health Service, so that patients can benefit from proven innovation wherever they live. The 10-Year Health Plan and Life Science Sector Plan published last year committed to expand National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisals used for branded medicines, publish guidance to introduce value-based procurement, and introduce an Innovator Passport.

The National HealthTech Access Programme was launched earlier this year to expand NICE Technology Appraisals to selected medical devices, diagnostics and digital products. The first technologies referred to NICE include capsule sponge tests to support earlier detection of oesophageal cancer and AI-assisted analysis of breast and prostate pathology images. Following publication of NICE appraisals early next year implementation plans to achieve national adoption will be confirmed. The Value Based Procurement guidance was published in June to support more consistent, evidence-based purchasing decisions focused on outcomes rather than lowest cost. The Innovator Passport is due to be launched over the coming months to enable better exchange and reuse of information to speed up local decision making.

Ofcom’s guidance requires highly effective age assurance to meet criteria including accuracy, robustness, reliability and fairness. Ofcom monitors how age assurance is used in practice, and its July 2026 report on the use of age assurance found that services use measures including independent testing, certification and ongoing quality assurance to assess performance and consistency over time. Ofcom’s October 2026 rapid assessment has also considered the effectiveness of age assurance methods for determining whether someone is over the age of 16.

The Government is committed to ensuring that clinically effective and cost-effective medical technologies are adopted more consistently across the National Health Service, so that patients can benefit from proven innovation wherever they live. The 10-Year Health Plan and Life Science Sector Plan published last year committed to expand National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisals used for branded medicines, publish guidance to introduce value-based procurement, and introduce an Innovator Passport.

The National HealthTech Access Programme was launched earlier this year to expand NICE Technology Appraisals to selected medical devices, diagnostics and digital products. The first technologies referred to NICE include capsule sponge tests to support earlier detection of oesophageal cancer and AI-assisted analysis of breast and prostate pathology images. Following publication of NICE appraisals early next year implementation plans to achieve national adoption will be confirmed. The Value Based Procurement guidance was published in June to support more consistent, evidence-based purchasing decisions focused on outcomes rather than lowest cost. The Innovator Passport is due to be launched over the coming months to enable better exchange and reuse of information to speed up local decision making.

The Government is committed to ensuring that clinically effective and cost-effective medical technologies are adopted more consistently across the National Health Service, so that patients can benefit from proven innovation wherever they live. The 10-Year Health Plan and Life Science Sector Plan published last year committed to expand National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisals used for branded medicines, publish guidance to introduce value-based procurement, and introduce an Innovator Passport.

The National HealthTech Access Programme was launched earlier this year to expand NICE Technology Appraisals to selected medical devices, diagnostics and digital products. The first technologies referred to NICE include capsule sponge tests to support earlier detection of oesophageal cancer and AI-assisted analysis of breast and prostate pathology images. Following publication of NICE appraisals early next year implementation plans to achieve national adoption will be confirmed. The Value Based Procurement guidance was published in June to support more consistent, evidence-based purchasing decisions focused on outcomes rather than lowest cost. The Innovator Passport is due to be launched over the coming months to enable better exchange and reuse of information to speed up local decision making.

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for raising this important issue. Ofcom recently introduced a draft advertising code under the Online Safety Act 2023 that, when implemented, will require major tech platforms to take robust action on online scams. Non-compliance could lead to fines of up to 10% of global revenue. We believe it is for big tech platforms to tackle those issues and, where they are failing, we will not shy away from taking firm action.

Q8

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Bobby Dean (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD):

Last night, President Trump took one hell of a beating. Now that the shine is coming off him in America, I wonder whether this Government will start to take a tougher stance in relation to him, too. Next week we have the Financial Services and Markets Bill returning to the Commons, and the Government have the opportunity to insert a clause that will make US tech giants pay their fair share of compensation to victims of online scams. This is something that the previous Prime Minister had committed to but this Government have yet to deliver on. Will the right hon. Member make it happen?

It is vital customers are able to trust their money is secure and accessible, and the government takes the safety of customers' money very seriously.

Eligible customers of firms authorised to take deposits by the Prudential Regulation Authority are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). Eligible deposits are protected up to £120,000 if the firm fails. This protection applies equally to banks providing services entirely digitally. Some digital financial firms do not accept deposits and instead issue electronic money. Electronic money is not protected by the FSCS, but firms are subject to safeguarding requirements designed to protect customer funds.

In May 2026, the FCA introduced new rules which supplement the safeguarding requirements in the payments services and e-money regulations. This put in place requirements for payment and electronic money institutions to submit monthly reports, conduct daily checks to ensure the right level of money is being safeguarded, maintain resolution packs and, where subject to audit requirements, undertake annual safeguarding audits by qualified auditors for electronic money and payment services.

The Government’s plans for using new technologies to improve patient care are set out in Chapter 8, titled Powering transformation: innovation to drive healthcare reform, of the Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England, which is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6888a0b1a11f859994409147/fit-for-the-future-10-year-health-plan-for-england.pdf

The chapter sets out five “big bets” for technological innovation: data to deliver impact; artificial intelligence to drive productivity; genomics and predictive analysis; wearables to make care ‘real time’; and robotics to support precision.

It also sets out how effective new technologies will be assessed, funded, and adopted more consistently across the National Health Service.