Written questions by Obese-Jecty.

Innovation and Technology, how much funding the Government provided for research into hypertension in the 2023-24 financial year; and which public bodies provided that funding.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between 2019/20 – 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes. UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally. In 2024 MRC established a new Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE), co-funded with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) called the MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, which will receive up to £50 million over 14 years. The Centre will focus on developing gene therapies for heart disease, including aiming to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration. The new MRC CoRE funding model aims to support transformative approaches in biomedical and health research. Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below: NIHR funding in FY 2023/24UKRI Funding in FY 2023/24Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathyNIHR did not commit any specific funding for obstructive cardiomyopathy research in the 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for obstructive cardiomyopathy research in 2023-24.dilated cardiomyopathy researchNIHR did not commit any specific funding for dilated cardiomyopathy research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for dilated cardiomyopathy research was £1,450,025 for 2 awards (1 award from MRC; 1 award from centrally managed UKRI schemes).valvular disease researchNIHR allocated £4,535,107 for research concerning valvular disease research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for valvular disease research was £207,336 for 1 award (from MRC).myocarditisNIHR did not commit any specific funding for myocarditis research in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for Myocarditis research in 2023-24.heart failure researchNIHR allocated £41,442,113 research concerning heart failure research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for heart failure research was £9,893,934 for 20 awards (8 awards from Innovate UK; 4 awards from MRC, 8 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes, etc), including investigations using AI techniques to develop personalised treatments for heart failure.congenital heart diseaseNIHR allocated £1,227,966 research concerning congenital heart disease research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for congenital heart disease research was £597,157 for 1 award (from BBSRC).coronary heart diseaseNIHR allocated £10,722,571 research concerning coronary heart disease research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for coronary heart disease research was £2,234,898 for 3 awards (2 awards from Innovate UK; 1 award from EPSRC).ST-elevation myocardial infarctionNIHR did not commit any specific funding for ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.non-ST-elevation myocardial infarctionNIHR did not commit any specific funding for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.heart blockNIHR allocated £24,667,421 for research concerning heart block in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.atrial fibrillationNIHR allocated £3,270,356 for research concerning atrial fibrillation in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for atrial fibrillation research was £6,799,271 for 8 awards (1 award from Innovate UK; 2 awards from EPSRC, 5 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes).hypertensionNIHR allocated £30,552,736 for research concerning hypertension in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for hypertension research was £8,311,971 for 12 awards (1 award from Innovate UK; 5 awards from MRC, 6 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes) including the investigation of medical devices for remote monitoring.aortic aneurysmNIHR allocated £2,833,223 for research concerning aortic aneurysm in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for aortic aneurysm research was £1,470,668 for 2 awards (1 award from Innovate UK; 1 award from centrally managed UKRI schemes)aortic dissectionNIHR allocated £2,833,223 research concerning aortic dissection research in financial year 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for aortic dissection research in 2023-24.

Innovation and Technology, what the cost to the public purse was of Government funding for dilated cardiomyopathy research in 2023-24; and which public bodies provided that funding.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between 2019/20 – 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes. UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally. In 2024 MRC established a new Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE), co-funded with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) called the MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, which will receive up to £50 million over 14 years. The Centre will focus on developing gene therapies for heart disease, including aiming to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration. The new MRC CoRE funding model aims to support transformative approaches in biomedical and health research. Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below: NIHR funding in FY 2023/24UKRI Funding in FY 2023/24Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathyNIHR did not commit any specific funding for obstructive cardiomyopathy research in the 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for obstructive cardiomyopathy research in 2023-24.dilated cardiomyopathy researchNIHR did not commit any specific funding for dilated cardiomyopathy research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for dilated cardiomyopathy research was £1,450,025 for 2 awards (1 award from MRC; 1 award from centrally managed UKRI schemes).valvular disease researchNIHR allocated £4,535,107 for research concerning valvular disease research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for valvular disease research was £207,336 for 1 award (from MRC).myocarditisNIHR did not commit any specific funding for myocarditis research in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for Myocarditis research in 2023-24.heart failure researchNIHR allocated £41,442,113 research concerning heart failure research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for heart failure research was £9,893,934 for 20 awards (8 awards from Innovate UK; 4 awards from MRC, 8 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes, etc), including investigations using AI techniques to develop personalised treatments for heart failure.congenital heart diseaseNIHR allocated £1,227,966 research concerning congenital heart disease research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for congenital heart disease research was £597,157 for 1 award (from BBSRC).coronary heart diseaseNIHR allocated £10,722,571 research concerning coronary heart disease research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for coronary heart disease research was £2,234,898 for 3 awards (2 awards from Innovate UK; 1 award from EPSRC).ST-elevation myocardial infarctionNIHR did not commit any specific funding for ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.non-ST-elevation myocardial infarctionNIHR did not commit any specific funding for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.heart blockNIHR allocated £24,667,421 for research concerning heart block in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.atrial fibrillationNIHR allocated £3,270,356 for research concerning atrial fibrillation in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for atrial fibrillation research was £6,799,271 for 8 awards (1 award from Innovate UK; 2 awards from EPSRC, 5 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes).hypertensionNIHR allocated £30,552,736 for research concerning hypertension in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for hypertension research was £8,311,971 for 12 awards (1 award from Innovate UK; 5 awards from MRC, 6 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes) including the investigation of medical devices for remote monitoring.aortic aneurysmNIHR allocated £2,833,223 for research concerning aortic aneurysm in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for aortic aneurysm research was £1,470,668 for 2 awards (1 award from Innovate UK; 1 award from centrally managed UKRI schemes)aortic dissectionNIHR allocated £2,833,223 research concerning aortic dissection research in financial year 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for aortic dissection research in 2023-24.

Innovation and Technology, how much funding the Government provided for research into aortic dissection in the 2023-24 financial year; and which public bodies provided that funding.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between 2019/20 – 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes. UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally. In 2024 MRC established a new Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE), co-funded with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) called the MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, which will receive up to £50 million over 14 years. The Centre will focus on developing gene therapies for heart disease, including aiming to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration. The new MRC CoRE funding model aims to support transformative approaches in biomedical and health research. Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below: NIHR funding in FY 2023/24UKRI Funding in FY 2023/24Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathyNIHR did not commit any specific funding for obstructive cardiomyopathy research in the 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for obstructive cardiomyopathy research in 2023-24.dilated cardiomyopathy researchNIHR did not commit any specific funding for dilated cardiomyopathy research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for dilated cardiomyopathy research was £1,450,025 for 2 awards (1 award from MRC; 1 award from centrally managed UKRI schemes).valvular disease researchNIHR allocated £4,535,107 for research concerning valvular disease research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for valvular disease research was £207,336 for 1 award (from MRC).myocarditisNIHR did not commit any specific funding for myocarditis research in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for Myocarditis research in 2023-24.heart failure researchNIHR allocated £41,442,113 research concerning heart failure research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for heart failure research was £9,893,934 for 20 awards (8 awards from Innovate UK; 4 awards from MRC, 8 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes, etc), including investigations using AI techniques to develop personalised treatments for heart failure.congenital heart diseaseNIHR allocated £1,227,966 research concerning congenital heart disease research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for congenital heart disease research was £597,157 for 1 award (from BBSRC).coronary heart diseaseNIHR allocated £10,722,571 research concerning coronary heart disease research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for coronary heart disease research was £2,234,898 for 3 awards (2 awards from Innovate UK; 1 award from EPSRC).ST-elevation myocardial infarctionNIHR did not commit any specific funding for ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.non-ST-elevation myocardial infarctionNIHR did not commit any specific funding for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.heart blockNIHR allocated £24,667,421 for research concerning heart block in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.atrial fibrillationNIHR allocated £3,270,356 for research concerning atrial fibrillation in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for atrial fibrillation research was £6,799,271 for 8 awards (1 award from Innovate UK; 2 awards from EPSRC, 5 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes).hypertensionNIHR allocated £30,552,736 for research concerning hypertension in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for hypertension research was £8,311,971 for 12 awards (1 award from Innovate UK; 5 awards from MRC, 6 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes) including the investigation of medical devices for remote monitoring.aortic aneurysmNIHR allocated £2,833,223 for research concerning aortic aneurysm in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for aortic aneurysm research was £1,470,668 for 2 awards (1 award from Innovate UK; 1 award from centrally managed UKRI schemes)aortic dissectionNIHR allocated £2,833,223 research concerning aortic dissection research in financial year 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for aortic dissection research in 2023-24.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Regulatory Innovation Office on their (a) cybersecurity and (b) procedures to prevent (i) ransomware and (ii) other forms of cyber attacks since July 2024; and how many such incidents have occurred since July 2024.

Ministers and officials meet regularly with industry stakeholders and public bodies to discuss cyber security and bolstering cyber resilience. The National Cyber Security Centre offers range of support and guidance showing businesses, agencies and government departments how to protect against cyber attacks. The Cyber Breaches Survey 2024 shows that 50% of businesses report having experienced some form of cyber security breach or attack in the last 12 months. The Government recognises the importance of strengthening the UK’s cyber resilience and protecting the digital economy to deliver growth. To address this, the Government is introducing a Cyber Security and Resilience Bill. The Bill will strengthen the UK’s cyber defences and ensure that more essential digital services than ever before are protected. On 14 January the government published a consultation on proposals to further protect businesses and public services from ransomware attacks.

Innovation and Technology, what the cost to the public purse was of Government funding of Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy research in 2023-24; and which public bodies provided that funding.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between 2019/20 – 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes. UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally. In 2024 MRC established a new Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE), co-funded with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) called the MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, which will receive up to £50 million over 14 years. The Centre will focus on developing gene therapies for heart disease, including aiming to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration. The new MRC CoRE funding model aims to support transformative approaches in biomedical and health research. Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below: NIHR funding in FY 2023/24UKRI Funding in FY 2023/24Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathyNIHR did not commit any specific funding for obstructive cardiomyopathy research in the 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for obstructive cardiomyopathy research in 2023-24.dilated cardiomyopathy researchNIHR did not commit any specific funding for dilated cardiomyopathy research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for dilated cardiomyopathy research was £1,450,025 for 2 awards (1 award from MRC; 1 award from centrally managed UKRI schemes).valvular disease researchNIHR allocated £4,535,107 for research concerning valvular disease research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for valvular disease research was £207,336 for 1 award (from MRC).myocarditisNIHR did not commit any specific funding for myocarditis research in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for Myocarditis research in 2023-24.heart failure researchNIHR allocated £41,442,113 research concerning heart failure research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for heart failure research was £9,893,934 for 20 awards (8 awards from Innovate UK; 4 awards from MRC, 8 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes, etc), including investigations using AI techniques to develop personalised treatments for heart failure.congenital heart diseaseNIHR allocated £1,227,966 research concerning congenital heart disease research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for congenital heart disease research was £597,157 for 1 award (from BBSRC).coronary heart diseaseNIHR allocated £10,722,571 research concerning coronary heart disease research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for coronary heart disease research was £2,234,898 for 3 awards (2 awards from Innovate UK; 1 award from EPSRC).ST-elevation myocardial infarctionNIHR did not commit any specific funding for ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.non-ST-elevation myocardial infarctionNIHR did not commit any specific funding for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.heart blockNIHR allocated £24,667,421 for research concerning heart block in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.atrial fibrillationNIHR allocated £3,270,356 for research concerning atrial fibrillation in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for atrial fibrillation research was £6,799,271 for 8 awards (1 award from Innovate UK; 2 awards from EPSRC, 5 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes).hypertensionNIHR allocated £30,552,736 for research concerning hypertension in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for hypertension research was £8,311,971 for 12 awards (1 award from Innovate UK; 5 awards from MRC, 6 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes) including the investigation of medical devices for remote monitoring.aortic aneurysmNIHR allocated £2,833,223 for research concerning aortic aneurysm in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for aortic aneurysm research was £1,470,668 for 2 awards (1 award from Innovate UK; 1 award from centrally managed UKRI schemes)aortic dissectionNIHR allocated £2,833,223 research concerning aortic dissection research in financial year 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for aortic dissection research in 2023-24.

Innovation and Technology, how much funding the Government provided for heart failure research in the 2023-24 financial year; and which public bodies provided that funding.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between 2019/20 – 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes. UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally. In 2024 MRC established a new Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE), co-funded with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) called the MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, which will receive up to £50 million over 14 years. The Centre will focus on developing gene therapies for heart disease, including aiming to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration. The new MRC CoRE funding model aims to support transformative approaches in biomedical and health research. Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below: NIHR funding in FY 2023/24UKRI Funding in FY 2023/24Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathyNIHR did not commit any specific funding for obstructive cardiomyopathy research in the 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for obstructive cardiomyopathy research in 2023-24.dilated cardiomyopathy researchNIHR did not commit any specific funding for dilated cardiomyopathy research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for dilated cardiomyopathy research was £1,450,025 for 2 awards (1 award from MRC; 1 award from centrally managed UKRI schemes).valvular disease researchNIHR allocated £4,535,107 for research concerning valvular disease research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for valvular disease research was £207,336 for 1 award (from MRC).myocarditisNIHR did not commit any specific funding for myocarditis research in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for Myocarditis research in 2023-24.heart failure researchNIHR allocated £41,442,113 research concerning heart failure research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for heart failure research was £9,893,934 for 20 awards (8 awards from Innovate UK; 4 awards from MRC, 8 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes, etc), including investigations using AI techniques to develop personalised treatments for heart failure.congenital heart diseaseNIHR allocated £1,227,966 research concerning congenital heart disease research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for congenital heart disease research was £597,157 for 1 award (from BBSRC).coronary heart diseaseNIHR allocated £10,722,571 research concerning coronary heart disease research in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for coronary heart disease research was £2,234,898 for 3 awards (2 awards from Innovate UK; 1 award from EPSRC).ST-elevation myocardial infarctionNIHR did not commit any specific funding for ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.non-ST-elevation myocardial infarctionNIHR did not commit any specific funding for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.heart blockNIHR allocated £24,667,421 for research concerning heart block in 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction research in 2023-24.atrial fibrillationNIHR allocated £3,270,356 for research concerning atrial fibrillation in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for atrial fibrillation research was £6,799,271 for 8 awards (1 award from Innovate UK; 2 awards from EPSRC, 5 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes).hypertensionNIHR allocated £30,552,736 for research concerning hypertension in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for hypertension research was £8,311,971 for 12 awards (1 award from Innovate UK; 5 awards from MRC, 6 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes) including the investigation of medical devices for remote monitoring.aortic aneurysmNIHR allocated £2,833,223 for research concerning aortic aneurysm in 2023-24.The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for aortic aneurysm research was £1,470,668 for 2 awards (1 award from Innovate UK; 1 award from centrally managed UKRI schemes)aortic dissectionNIHR allocated £2,833,223 research concerning aortic dissection research in financial year 2023-24.UKRI did not commit any specific funding for aortic dissection research in 2023-24.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with the Regulatory Innovation Office on the AI Opportunities Action Plan since July 2024.

The Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) has contributed to the development of the AI Opportunities Action Plan and will continue to collaborate on delivering its commitments. As set out in the Action Plan, the UK’s proportionate, flexible regulatory approach is a crucial enabler for realising the government’s ambitions on artificial intelligence. Through advancing regulatory innovation, the RIO will play a key role in bringing new technologies across a range of sectors to the public faster and safely.

Innovation and Technology, how much funding the Government provided for research into idiopathic pulmonary hypertension in the 2023-24 financial year; and which public bodies provided that funding.

The Department of Health and Social Care funds medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR did not commit any specific funding for idiopathic pulmonary hypertension research in the 2023-24 financial year.UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) plays a key role in funding both disease specific and underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally. UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects which includes work on blood vessel function/dysfunction and on fibrosis which is relevant to this condition. The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for idiopathic pulmonary hypertension research was £1,360,310 for 1 award (MRC funded).

Innovation and Technology, what steps the Government is taking to prevent the use of denudifying apps used to create pornographic deepfake images.

The Government made a manifesto commitment to ban the creation of sexually explicit deepfake images, as part of the government’s commitment to halve the prevalence of violence against women and girls (VAWG) within the decade.We are bringing forward provisions in the Crime and Policing Bill to meet that commitment. This will make this behaviour criminal, so that perpetrators can be brought to justice.The sharing of or threatening to share a deepfake intimate image without consent is already a criminal offence under the Online Safety Act and was designated as a priority offence in November 2024. Companies in scope of the Act’s illegal safety duties will be required to proactively tackle this type of content, preventing its proliferation online.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to prevent the use of denudifying apps by children in the creation of pornographic deepfake images.

Where an adult or a child uses generative AI to make sexual images of a child, that content is child sexual exploitation and abuse material, and is illegal.We are also bringing forward provisions to ban the creation of sexually explicit deepfakes images of adults without consent in the Crime and Policing Bill, making this behaviour criminal so that perpetrators can be brought to justice.The sharing of or threatening to share a deepfake intimate image without consent is already a criminal offence under the Online Safety Act and was designated as a priority offence in November 2024. In-scope services will be required to proactively tackle this type of content, preventing its proliferation online.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has made a recent assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals on regulating the use of AI in the context of food biosecurity.

AI is a general-purpose technology, with a wide array of applications. The vast majority of AI systems should be regulated at the point of use, and the UK's existing expert regulators are best placed to do this.The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology engages regularly across government departments to understand how they are considering AI-related policy issues within their remit.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with Research England on their approach to support for research into food biosecurity since July 2024.

I refer the Hon Member to the reply I gave in UIN 16568

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Geospatial Commission on research into food biosecurity.

The Government recognises the importance of food biosecurity and the role of geospatial data in preventing the spread of disease-causing agents and protecting the safety of food, animals, and humans. The Department engages regularly with geospatial data providers to continuously improve the data available to Defra, the Food Standards Agency and other stakeholders to support a range of cross-sectoral research and operational activities in this area.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with the Science and Technology Facilities Council on research into food biosecurity since July 2024.

I refer the Hon Member to the reply I gave in UIN 16568

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with Innovate UK on research into food biosecurity since July 2024.

I refer the Hon Member to the reply I gave in UIN 16568

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with the Natural Environment Research Council on research into food biosecurity since July 2024.

I refer the Hon Member to the reply I gave in UIN 16568

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with the Medical Research Council on research into food biosecurity since July 2024.

I refer the Hon Member to the reply I gave in UIN 16568

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the domestic opportunities through Horizon Europe for research into food biosecurity.

The UK’s association to Horizon Europe means that UK researchers and businesses can participate in the world’s largest programme of research cooperation, worth £80bn+, alongside their EU colleagues and those from other Associated Countries. UK researchers are fully eligible, and DSIT encourages them to apply for funding calls in Horizon Europe’s ‘Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment’ cluster. Making Horizon Europe association a success is the Government’s priority, and that is why DSIT is engaging with key stakeholders to boost UK participation and remove barriers to international R&D collaborations.

Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to extend funding for the Smart Infrastructure Pilots Programme beyond March 2025.

Through the Programme, six local authorities are installing "smart" multi-purpose columns or lampposts, to test the benefits of this hosting multiple services, such as mobile connectivity, electric vehicle charging, Wifi and CCTV.The Government is currently carrying out an evaluation of the Programme, which is due to conclude next year. We will decide our next steps following this process.

What discussions he has had with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on how to accelerate the acceptance of data generated in non-animal methods for drug safety decision making.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) attended a ministerial roundtable on accelerating the adoption of alternatives to using animals for drug development earlier this year.