Every parliamentary written question tabled by Martin Wrigley this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 641–660 of 1,700 · this parliament
Whether NHS trusts have received (a) financial support and (b) incentive payments to enable uptake of the Federated Data Platform.
NHS England has procured and paid for licences to provide a Federated Data Platform instance for all trusts and integrated care boards for the full duration of the contract. This includes providing onboarding and implementation support and ongoing access to a National Centre of Excellence and user forums.
Whether her Department plans to integrate climate and nature-related financial risk into legislative and regulatory reforms arising from the Pension Schemes Bill.
While the Department does not hold data on the proportion of UK pension fund assets allocated to climate solutions, we do require pension schemes to evaluate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors, including climate change, in their investment strategies. Specifically, trustees of larger schemes are required to assess and report on climate-related risks and opportunities, including investments in climate solutions. This reporting is done in accordance with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations. We will be considering whether to update sustainability reporting, following our review of the TCFD Regulations this year, and the outcomes to the two Government’s consultations currently underway on UK Sustainability Reporting Standards and our Transition Plans manifesto commitment. Measures outlined in these aims on improving transparency and accountability across the economy, helping investors—including pension schemes—understand how climate and nature-related issues affect their investment choices. Measures outlined in The Pension Schemes Bill, concerning productive investment and consolidation of UK occupational workplace pension schemes, can significantly benefit social and environmental objectives by enabling larger, more efficient schemes to engage more effectively with companies on ESG issues, and to invest in a wider range of assets, including those focused on sustainability and long-term impact, such as, infrastructure, renewable energy, and other socially responsible projects.
Whether any NHS trusts have opted out of participating in the Federated Data Platform; and what steps NHS England is taking to monitor trust participation.
The NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP) began its national roll-out in April 2024, following a pilot phase that commenced in 2022. NHS England has invited all National Health Service trusts and integrated care boards (ICBs) to develop plans for how they will maximise the benefits of the FDP for their patients within the next two years Uptake of the NHS FDP continues to grow. As of 31 March 2025, 108 NHS hospital trusts had signed up to the FDP, and 72 trusts are currently live and in delivery To monitor participation and progress, NHS England publishes quarterly updates on uptake and the benefits being realised. This includes NHS trusts and ICBs that have signed up, metrics on operational improvements, such as reductions in inpatient and outpatient waitlists, and insights into product adoption and benefit realisation across use cases like elective recovery, care coordination, and crisis response. These updates are available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/digitaltechnology/nhs-federated-data-platform/impact/fdp-uptake-and-benefits/
What steps he is taking to ensure that the NHS (a) retains the intellectual property in relation to the technical sovereignty for and (b) is not locked in to using the Federated Data Platform.
The National Health Service retains the intellectual property of solutions it funds or develops, including all associated data models, products, and analytical solutions of the NHS Federated Data Platform, and the background intellectual property remains the property of the respective party. The contract for the FDP and Associated Services includes specific provisions to mitigate vendor lock-in and support transition to an alternative provider at the end of the contractual period. The contract is available at the following link: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/0f8a65b5-23a2-4294-abb1-a7fd8efb3ad0
Whether her Department has made an estimate of the proportion of UK pension fund assets currently allocated to climate solutions.
While the Department does not hold data on the proportion of UK pension fund assets allocated to climate solutions, we do require pension schemes to evaluate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors, including climate change, in their investment strategies. Specifically, trustees of larger schemes are required to assess and report on climate-related risks and opportunities, including investments in climate solutions. This reporting is done in accordance with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations. We will be considering whether to update sustainability reporting, following our review of the TCFD Regulations this year, and the outcomes to the two Government’s consultations currently underway on UK Sustainability Reporting Standards and our Transition Plans manifesto commitment. Measures outlined in these aims on improving transparency and accountability across the economy, helping investors—including pension schemes—understand how climate and nature-related issues affect their investment choices. Measures outlined in The Pension Schemes Bill, concerning productive investment and consolidation of UK occupational workplace pension schemes, can significantly benefit social and environmental objectives by enabling larger, more efficient schemes to engage more effectively with companies on ESG issues, and to invest in a wider range of assets, including those focused on sustainability and long-term impact, such as, infrastructure, renewable energy, and other socially responsible projects.
Whether the contract for the Federated Data Platform includes specifications for (a) which data export formats will be used, (b) the codebase handover and (c) what the final audit will include at the end of the contract period between the NHS and Palantir.
The contract for the Federated Data Platform and Associated Services (FDP-AS) includes provisions to ensure transparency, interoperability, and a smooth transition at the end of the contract period. These provisions are designed to mitigate vendor lock-in and support the National Health Service in maintaining control over its data and digital infrastructure. The FDP-AS agreement includes comprehensive audit and exit mechanisms. These provisions enable NHS England to conduct audits and reviews to support effective transition planning and ensure contractual compliance. The contract is available at the following link: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/0f8a65b5-23a2-4294-abb1-a7fd8efb3ad0
If he will publish a list of (a) call-off contracts, (b) contract values and (c) delivery milestones awarded to Palantir Technologies under Crown Commercial Service frameworks since 2020.
Crown Commercial Service (CCS) does not maintain a centralised list of all call-off contracts, values, or delivery milestones awarded to Palantir Technologies. Details of individual call-off contracts, including contract values and delivery milestones, are publicly available on the Contracts Finder website: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk. Contracts Finder lists information on government contracts worth over £12,000 (including VAT), including those awarded by departments and agencies across the public sector. It is the responsibility of the contracting authority to upload contract information to Contracts Finder.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the compliance of Palantir Technologies Ltd with transparency obligations under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 prior to 2021.
The transparency obligations prior to 2021 would have been managed directly by the awarding department or contracting authority. Details of Government contracts awarded prior to 2021 above £10,000 in Central Government, and £25,000 in the wider public sector, should be published on Contracts Finder: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the drone attack on the vessel Conscience in international waters.
His Majesty's Government officials were in touch with the Maltese Authorities regarding the incident and understand there were no casualties and that no British nationals were aboard this vessel. We continue to discuss with Israeli counterparts the urgent need for the Israeli government to permit the full and unhindered resumption of the flow of aid into Gaza. Israel has clear obligations under international humanitarian law to agree to and facilitate humanitarian aid. The unimpeded entry of assistance at scale to meet the enormous needs in Gaza must be restored immediately. As we've said, the most effective way to meet the desperate needs of the Gazan people at the speed and scale that is needed is via overland routes.
Whether his Department has had deductions with Palantir Technologies Ltd on (a) profit-sharing arrangements and (b) access to derivative data linked to NHS research outputs.
NHS England has entered into a contract with Palantir, the NHS Federated Data Platform Associated Services (FDP-AS) contract, which is available at the following link:https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/0f8a65b5-23a2-4294-abb1-a7fd8efb3ad0The FDP-AS Agreement does not include provision for profit sharing arrangements and Palantir does not have access or rights to any National Health Service data under the FDP-AS, beyond those as required to perform its function as a data processor under instruction by the NHS.
Whether his Department has issued guidance on considering political neutrality when awarding government contracts.
The Procurement Act 2023 requires contracting authorities to act, and to be seen to act, with integrity, and has introduced new requirements to identify and review any potential conflicts of interest in relation to a procurement. Contracting Authorities must now prepare a conflict of interest assessment at key points in the procurement, including details of any actual or potential conflicts of interest and any steps they have taken to mitigate them.
Whether the Government has issued guidance to help ensure that AI solutions trained on NHS datasets align with NHS principles.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions trained on National Health Service datasets must align with core NHS principles, including safety, fairness, transparency, and accountability. These principles are embedded in the NHS’s approach to digital innovation and data use.To support this, NHS England utilises guidance developed by the NHS Transformation Directorate, which sets out expectations for the safe, lawful, and ethical use of AI in health and care settings. This includes ensuring that AI systems are explainable, that data is used responsibly, and that decisions remain under human oversight.The guidance has been reviewed by the Health and Care Information Governance Working Group, including the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and the National Data Guardian (NDG), and is publicly available on the NHS Transformation Directorate’s website:https://transform.england.nhs.uk/information-governance/guidance/artificial-intelligence/This framework helps ensure that AI innovations developed using NHS data are aligned with NHS values and are deployed in a way that benefits patients, supports clinicians, and maintains public trust.
Whether the Federated Data Platform’s architectural governance model includes constraints on cross-domain identity federation between (a) NHS instances and (b) other public sector deployments of (i) Foundry and (ii) Gotham.
Each local organisation operates its own instance of the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP), for which it is the data controller. These instances are designed to support local autonomy and governance, allowing organisations to opt into core products that enhance patient care delivery.The architectural governance model of the FDP does not include provisions for cross-domain identity federation between National Health Service instances and other public sector deployments of Foundry or Gotham. Instead, the platform enables local organisations to connect and share information currently stored in separate systems, but only where there is a legal basis to do so. This ensures that data sharing is conducted within a safe and secure environment, respecting organisational boundaries and data protection obligations.Further technical and governance details are outlined in the information governance framework for the FDP, which confirms that all data remains within United Kingdom sovereign zones and that access is restricted to authorised personnel. The information governance framework for the FDP is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/federated-data-platform-information-governance-framework/
Whether NHS England has conducted data transfer impact assessments on (a) access, (b) processing and (c) codebase maintenance undertaken by overseas Palantir staff.
There is no overseas processing of data of any type by the Federated Data Platform (FDP) programme, and therefore transfer impact assessments are not required. This is laid out in the FDP Information Governance Framework, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/federated-data-platform-information-governance-framework/
Food and Rural Affairs, if he will require South West Water to publish (a) sites receiving investment under the storm overflow programme, (b) timelines for that investment and (c) expected outcomes at each location.
It is important that the public have access to reliable information on storm overflow discharges. The Water (Special Measures) Act introduced a duty for water companies to publish data related to discharges from all emergency overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning. This matches the pre-existing duty for storm overflows, which was introduced on 01 January. To support this, Water UK have launched a central hub that provides discharge data of every storm overflow in England on a single website. As part of Price Review 2024 (PR24), which runs from 2025–2030, water companies will be delivering record levels of investment. This includes South West Water delivering £764 million of investment to reduce storm overflow spills and £55 million to install real-time monitors at high-priority sites. Ofwat will hold water companies to account for the decisions set at the Price Review. Ofwat's claw back mechanism ensures that funding for schemes not delivered is returned to customers, by reducing bills.
Whether (a) outputs and (b) intermediate artefacts generated via Foundry workflows are permitted to be retained by Palantir Technologies for the purpose of product refinement.
All products, outputs, and intermediate artefacts generated within the Federated Data Platform, funded by the National Health Service under the NHS Federated Data Platform Associated Services (FDP-AS) agreement, are the intellectual property of the NHS, and Palantir is not permitted to utilise these for their own purposes. Further information on the FDP-AS is available at the following link:https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/0f8a65b5-23a2-4294-abb1-a7fd8efb3ad0
Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to require South West Water to (a) reinstate collaboration with Surfers Against Sewage and (b) provide real-time data to the Safer Seas and Rivers Service.
It is important that the public have access to reliable information on storm overflow discharges. The Water (Special Measures) Act introduced a duty for water companies to publish data related to discharges from all emergency overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning. This matches the pre-existing duty for storm overflows, which was introduced on 01 January. To support this, Water UK have launched a central hub that provides discharge data of every storm overflow in England on a single website. As part of Price Review 2024 (PR24), which runs from 2025–2030, water companies will be delivering record levels of investment. This includes South West Water delivering £764 million of investment to reduce storm overflow spills and £55 million to install real-time monitors at high-priority sites. Ofwat will hold water companies to account for the decisions set at the Price Review. Ofwat's claw back mechanism ensures that funding for schemes not delivered is returned to customers, by reducing bills.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to support the development of a public-facing data access tool to allow independent verification of water quality alerts issued by South West Water.
It is important that the public have access to reliable information on storm overflow discharges. The Water (Special Measures) Act introduced a duty for water companies to publish data related to discharges from all emergency overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning. This matches the pre-existing duty for storm overflows, which was introduced on 01 January. To support this, Water UK have launched a central hub that provides discharge data of every storm overflow in England on a single website. As part of Price Review 2024 (PR24), which runs from 2025–2030, water companies will be delivering record levels of investment. This includes South West Water delivering £764 million of investment to reduce storm overflow spills and £55 million to install real-time monitors at high-priority sites. Ofwat will hold water companies to account for the decisions set at the Price Review. Ofwat's claw back mechanism ensures that funding for schemes not delivered is returned to customers, by reducing bills.
Whether his Department has received representations from (a) Palantir Technologies Ltd and (b) its subsidiaries on combining data functions under a single NHS data contract.
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care met with representatives of Palantir on 4 June 2025. The meeting was to discuss the importance of the rollout of the Federated Data Platform, including progress towards having all trusts onboarded. The meeting did not discuss combining data functions under a single National Health Service data contract, and the Department has not received representation from Palantir or its subsidiaries on that topic.
What (a) encryption key management protocols and (b) physical hosting zones are in place to ensure NHS datasets remain (i) logically and (ii) geographically partitioned from Palantir’s multi-tenant infrastructure.
Access to National Health Service health and social care data within the Federated Data Platform (FDP) is tightly controlled. The FDP incorporates advanced Privacy Enhancing Technology (PET), which has been procured from a separate supplier to ensure independence and to mitigate any conflicts of interest.It is a contractual requirement that personal data stored in the FDP and NHS PET cannot be accessed by its own personnel or contractors from outside the United Kingdom. In accordance with General Data Protection Regulation principles of transparency and accountability, NHS England has published details in the FDP Information Governance Framework. This framework is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/federated-data-platform-information-governance-framework/