Written questions by Onwurah.

Innovation and Technology, what the budget is for the Government Office for Technology Transfer in the 2025-26 financial year.

The budget for the Government Office for Technology Transfer in financial year 2025-26 has not yet been set. Having now reached agreement with HM Treasury on an overall funding envelope for 2025-26, a business planning exercise is progressing to set budgets within the Department and for its supporting agencies and public bodies.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 November to Question 13473 and the Answer of 20 November 2024 to Question 14457 and 16158 on London North Eastern Railway: WiFi, what proportion of complaints about facilities on board were about wifi; and what the evidential basis is for the conclusion that wifi is not a significant cause of customer dissatisfaction.

For the period July to September 2024 London North Eastern Railway received 64 complaints relating to Wi-Fi reliability which equates to 0.75 per cent of all complaints received in that period.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 November to Question 13473 and the Answer of 20 November 2024 to Question 14457 on London North Eastern Railway: WiFi, whether complaints about WiFi are included in the category entitled facilities on board.

I can confirm that Wifi complaints fall into the "Quality on Train" - "Facilities on Board" category.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2024 to Question 14940 on Project Gigabit and Shared Rural Network, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the minimum signal strength to support remote working.

Ofcom reports that a 10 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload speed connection is needed to support video calls and a consistent connection to the internet, and our expectation is that this would support remote working. Most networks in the UK, including those delivered by Project Gigabit, offer much higher performance.The mobile signal strength thresholds Ofcom set for the Shared Rural Network are based on Ofcom’s assessment of what constitutes “good” mobile coverage which has been in place for several years and which broadly equates to successfully making a 90 second call and getting a download speed of at least 2Mbit/s. Whether this is sufficient to support remote working will depend on a number of factors, including the nature of the work being undertaken and the level of congestion on the network. We have asked Ofcom to keep under review what constitutes good 4G and 5G connectivity.In response to my letter to their Chief Executive, Ofcom is considering how to incorporate different signal strength thresholds in its reporting on the availability of mobile networks.

How many and what proportion of (a) schools that have students with Turing grants are independent schools and (b) students that receive Turing grants attend independent schools.

For the 2024/25 academic year, over £10 million in funding was awarded to 298 successful schools projects from across the UK. This will provide funding for over 7,000 pupils to participate in placements overseas. Of these, 56% will be for participants from disadvantaged backgrounds.Of these 298 successful school applications, 6 were from private schools (2%), providing funding for just over 100 pupils to take part in international placements (1.6%), however this is subject to change as these projects are delivered through the year.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 25 November 2024 to Question 14940, on Project Gigabit and Shared Rural Network, how Ofcom tests areas for compliance with their standard for good coverage.

Ofcom’s approach to testing compliance is available on Ofcom’s website. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/coverage-and-speeds/cellular-coverage/It involves a combination of desk-based assessment against the mobile network operators (MNO) coverage predictions and drive testing in a sample of locations across the UK.Ofcom uses scanners installed in vehicles to capture a range of information including mobile signal strength across the UK’s road network. This provides signal strength measurement samples for each MNO across different regions and terrains. This data is then used for comparison at an aggregated level with the coverage predictions the MNOs supply to Ofcom.

How many and what proportion of students with Turing grants who are eligible for free school meals attend an independent school.

The Turing Scheme is the UK Government’s global programme for students to study and work abroad. The Turing Scheme provides additional funding to students from disadvantaged backgrounds to help them to participate in international placements. All students from disadvantaged backgrounds can get funding for travel-related costs. This includes visa application fees, vaccines, medical certificates, passports, and related travel insurance. Students with special educational needs and disabilities can also get funding for their support needs. Schools identify students from a disadvantaged background using the following criteria:Someone with an annual household income of £25,000 or less.Someone who has been entitled to free school meals (FSM) at any point in the past six years because of being in a low-income household.Someone with experience of being in care or who is a care leaver, including anyone who is or has been in care or from a looked after background at any stage of their life.A refugee or an asylum seeker.Someone who is receiving Universal Credit or income related benefits themselves, or lives with someone who does. Receiving FSM in reception, year 1 and year 2 in England or primary 1 to 5 in Scotland does not automatically meet the criteria for funding for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. This list is not exhaustive. If a school identifies pupils who do not precisely meet these criteria but share similar characteristics which justify extra support, they may include them in their application. As the department does not gather data on which criteria students meet to be considered as being from a disadvantaged background, the department is not able to provide a breakdown of the number of participants in the Turing Scheme who are in receipt of FSM.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of maintaining regional livery designs as railway franchises are brought back into public ownership.

The Department has not assessed the potential merits of maintaining regional livery designs as railway franchises are brought back into public ownership.

How many and what proportion of (a) schools and (b) students with Turing grants receive free school meals.

The Turing Scheme is the UK Government’s global programme for students to study and work abroad. The Turing Scheme provides additional funding to students from disadvantaged backgrounds to help them to participate in international placements. All students from disadvantaged backgrounds can get funding for travel-related costs. This includes visa application fees, vaccines, medical certificates, passports, and related travel insurance. Students with special educational needs and disabilities can also get funding for their support needs. Schools identify students from a disadvantaged background using the following criteria:Someone with an annual household income of £25,000 or less.Someone who has been entitled to free school meals (FSM) at any point in the past six years because of being in a low-income household.Someone with experience of being in care or who is a care leaver, including anyone who is or has been in care or from a looked after background at any stage of their life.A refugee or an asylum seeker.Someone who is receiving Universal Credit or income related benefits themselves, or lives with someone who does. Receiving FSM in reception, year 1 and year 2 in England or primary 1 to 5 in Scotland does not automatically meet the criteria for funding for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. This list is not exhaustive. If a school identifies pupils who do not precisely meet these criteria but share similar characteristics which justify extra support, they may include them in their application. As the department does not gather data on which criteria students meet to be considered as being from a disadvantaged background, the department is not able to provide a breakdown of the number of participants in the Turing Scheme who are in receipt of FSM.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2024 to Question 13205 on Project Gigabit and Shared Rural Network, what minimum service levels his Department expects 4G coverage delivered as part of the Shared Rural Network programme to meet.

The Shared Rural Network is delivering good 4G outdoor coverage across rural parts of the UK. For 4G networks, Ofcom defines good coverage based on the minimum signal strength required to deliver a 95% probability of making a 90-second telephone call successfully completed, and of getting a download speed of at least 2Mbit/s.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his department is taking to help increase diversity in the research workforce.

DSIT is committed to increasing diversity in the research workforce. We are supporting the pipeline of diverse talent, for example through the CREST Awards and the UKRI funded STEM Ambassador programme. We are supporting UKRI’s EDI Strategy to ensure that those with the best research ideas can access research funding regardless of their backgrounds.We are improving understanding of the issues through a second edition of the UK-wide Research and Innovation Workforce Survey in July this year. UKRI also publishes diversity data and commissions high-quality research evidence that informs policy and practice in the R&D system, e.g. through its EDI Caucus.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 15 November 2024 to Question 13206 on Government Departments: Finance, which Departments are included in the first tranche; what the new system is; and how the new system is being procured.

The first full tranche includes Cabinet Office, Department for Culture, Media & Sport, Department for Business & Trade, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology and Department for Energy Security & Net Zero plus associated Arm’s-Length Bodies in scope. Workday is the Technology (alongside System Integrator Cognizant). It’s an AI-enabled, cloud-based, user-friendly software that brings together HR and Finance into one application. Workday & Cognizant were identified as the preferred bidders following the conclusion of an 18-month Competitive Procedure with Negotiation (CPN). Which was in full compliance with Public Contract Regulations and aligned with commercial best practices throughout.

What steps his Department is taking to support (a) innovation and (b) growth in the bicycle manufacturing industry.

Small businesses and manufacturers are vital to high streets and communities, and essential to the success of the Government’s growth mission. At the Budget, the Government announced we would be continuing funding for key business support programmes in 2025-26: Growth Hubs in England, and the Help to Grow: Management programme. We also announced we are extending Made Smarter Innovation with up to £37m funding. Funding for the Made Smarter Adoption programme will double to £16 million in 2025-26, supporting more small manufacturing businesses to adopt advanced digital technologies and enabling the programme to be expanded to all nine English regions.

Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to consult the research sector on the Government’s plans for 10 year budgets for R&D activities.

We recognise the importance of stakeholder engagement and are actively involving stakeholders from the research sector throughout the process. Further details on ten-year budgets will be set out in the Spring as part of the next phase of the Spending Review.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of reports of incidents involving (a) e-bike batteries and (b) conversion kits on consumer trust in e-bike technology.

While e-bikes and e-scooters are used safely by millions of people every day, unsafe, non-compliant or improperly used lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes can cause serious fires. Public safety is our priority, and this Department’s recent “Buy Safe. Be Safe” campaign was launched last month to raise awareness of the steps consumers can take to reduce the risk of fires. This is part of a wider programme lead by the Office for Product Safety and Standards to tackle the causes of fires so that consumers are protected and can have confidence in these technologies.

What assessment his Department has made of the (a) adequacy of safety standards of imported e-bikes from outside the EU and (b) implications for his policies of risks associated with non-EU lithium-ion batteries.

UK product safety legislation requires manufacturers or importers placing products on the UK market, including e-bikes to ensure those products are safe. Those importing international products must ensure that they comply with UK product safety rules. Earlier this year, OPSS banned certain models of Unit Power Pack-branded e-bike batteries manufactured in China, and they and local regulators have powers to prevent any unsafe goods identified from entering the UK at the border. The Product Regulation and Metrology Bill will preserve the UK’s status as a global leader in product regulation, supporting businesses and protecting consumers.

What data his Department holds on the potential impact of non-EU bicycle imports on (a) cycle distributors in the North East and (b) the bicycle manufacturing sector.

The Department does not hold data on the potential impact of non-EU bicycle imports on cycle distributors in the North East or the bicycle manufacturing sector. At the Budget, the Government announced we would be continuing funding for key business support programmes in 2025-26: Growth Hubs in England, and the Help to Grow: Management programme. We also announced we are extending Made Smarter Innovation with up to £37m funding. Funding for the Made Smarter Adoption programme will double to £16 million in 2025-26, supporting more small manufacturing businesses to adopt advanced digital technologies and enabling the programme to be expanded to all nine English regions.

Representing the House of Commons Commission, what progress the Commission has made in making AI technology available to help hon. members in their constituency work.

The House Administration actively considers how AI can benefit Members. This consideration has a number of threads:(1) Exploring the use of AITeams across Parliament are working together through Parliament’s AI Working Group to consider how AI may be used in a Parliamentary context (in line with the response provided on 17 October). The intent is to work closely with Members to identify opportunities for the use of AI, including to support their constituency duties. The House Administration will work with Members to assess whether AI is viable for the opportunities that are identified.(2) Guidance and learning for Members and their staffAI is increasingly embedded into the services and digital tools we all use. The Parliamentary Digital Service is producing guidance to support Members and staff to use these new technologies safely. This guidance will be considered by the relevant governance bodies in coming weeks.In addition, resources developed by the House of Commons Library for Members and their staff to learn more about AI are being promoted. PDS and the House of Commons Library have also developed an interactive seminar for Members and their staff to participate in. The first such seminar took place on 19 November as part of the New Parliament Fair and teaches Members what AI is, how to use it safely and how it can be applied to Members’ work.(3) Learning from other parliamentsMany other parliaments are exploring how AI may support their Members. We have ongoing engagement with them to identify potential uses and learn from others about how AI is being used to support Members in their parliamentary and constituency duties.All Members will be invited to share ideas for where AI might be useful in supporting them, and the AI Working Group is preparing engagement plans with Members and their staff to assess what might be viable.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 November 2024 to Question 13473 on London North Eastern Railway: WiFi, what period the most recent report covers; and whether that report is publicly available.

The Office of Rail and Road publishes complaints data on a quarterly basis for all rail operators. London North Eastern Railway also undertakes its own research to understand and respond to passenger needs. The latest Office of Rail and Road passenger complaints data is available on its website at the following link: https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/passenger-experience/passenger-rail-service-complaints

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Shared Rural Network.

The Shared Rural Network (SRN) has already delivered substantial improvements to outdoor 4G mobile coverage across the UK. 4G coverage from at least one mobile network operator has increased from 91% when the programme was agreed in March 2020 to 94.9% according to Ofcom coverage reporting. This progress includes upgrading and activating Emergency Services Network (ESN) masts which are delivering new 4G coverage in the harder to reach areas across Britain and building new masts in areas that currently have no signal at all to having coverage from all four mobile network operators.Ofcom recently assessed that all four mobile network operators had met their 88% coverage obligation for completion of the partial not-spot programme. This part of the SRN targets areas where there is currently coverage from at least one but not all four mobile network operators.