Written questions by O'Brien.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the 2025/6 Annual Report and Accounts, for a breakdown of i) the £122m gross outturn on CDEL for "Support for the Digital, Broadcasting and Media sectors" described in SOPS 1.2 and ii) the £41m in gross outturn on RDEL for "Support for the Digital, Broadcasting and Media sectors" described in SOPS 1.1.

Awaiting answer.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the DSIT Main Estimate Memorandum for 2026/7, for a breakdown by programme of the £219.0m in CDEL allocated to Science and Society.

Awaiting answer.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to Note 8 on Purchase of Goods, Services and Other Expenditure on page 114 of the Whole of Government Accounts 2024-5, if she will publish a breakdown of spending on that

A breakdown of DSIT operating expenditure, including purchase of goods and services (POGS), has been published in the 2024-25 DSIT Annual Report and Accounts (Department for Science, Innovation & Technology Annual report and accounts 2024-25). The 202...

Innovation and Technology, with reference to Table 2 of the UKRI Budget Allocations explainer of December 2025, how much of the £2,308m allocated to 'Wider Priorities' over the Spending Review period is earmarked

DSIT secured £58.5 billion for R&D over the next four years at the 2025 Spending Review, including record funding for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) of £38.6 billion. UKRI will also be a key delivery partner for departments across government, deliv...

Innovation and Technology, with reference to SOPS 1.1 in the Department's 2024-25 Annual Report, if she will publish a breakdown of the £209,590,000 in gross spend on D) Capability in 2024-25; and for what reasons that figure has increased from the equivalent of £118,965,000 in 2019-20 in the equivalent Common Core table of the 2023-4 Annual Report.

The 2024-25 outturn for Capability gross administration costs is broken down as below:Staff costs*£84.078mOther operating costs£43.484mPurchase of goods and services*£40.218mMatrix programme*£28.295mDepreciation and other non-cash expenditure£11.455mOther costs, including finance costs and grants£2.059mTotal £209.590m*As one of DSIT’s major projects, Matrix programme costs have been presented separately i.e. deducted from other totals above.To note that DSIT was established in February 2023, whereas the reported 2019-20 value is an assumptions‑based apportionment for a department that did not exist at the time; as such the two figures are not directly comparable.Since the establishment of DSIT, there have been further several structural and operational changes including a further Machinery of Government change during 2024-25, which transferred Government Digital Service (GDS) policy responsibilities from the Cabinet Office to DSIT, increasing the size and scope of the department. New policy areas and programmes have also been established in this period, including the Matrix programme. Collectively, these factors, along with inflationary increases, have contributed to the higher costs recorded within the DSIT Capability line.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to SOPS 1.1. in the Department's 2024/5 Annual Report, if she will publish (a) a breakdown of resource spending on G) Modernising and reforming the work of the Government functions; (b) the £46,366,000 spent in gross administration costs; and (c) the £203,636,000 spent in gross programme costs.

The net resource spending on ‘Modernising and reforming the work of the Government functions’ for 2024-25 was £204.375m. The breakdown of gross expenditure is split between Admin and Programme spend is shown below.The £46.366m Admin spent in gross administration costs is broken down as below:Purchase of goods and services£28.627mStaff costs£17.737mOther operating costs£0.002mTotal£46.366m The £203.636m spent in gross programme costs is broken down as below: OneLogin£82.8mGov.Uk£21.6mProduct and Services£15.9mGovernment Chief Product Officer£9.5mOther (Includes Notify)£73.7mTotal£203.5m

Innovation and Technology, with reference to (a) SOPS 1.1. in the Department's 2024/5 Annual Report, a breakdown of the £209,590,000 spent in gross administration costs on capability and (b) Table 1, Annex A: Common Core Tables in the Department's 2020/21 Annual Report, a breakdown of the £118,965,000 spent on Capability in 2019/20, on what basis there is a difference between the two figures.

The 2024-25 outturn for Capability gross administration costs is broken down as below:Staff costs*£84.078mOther operating costs£43.484mPurchase of goods and services*£40.218mMatrix programme*£28.295mDepreciation and other non-cash expenditure£11.455mOther costs, including finance costs and grants£2.059mTotal £209.590m*As one of DSIT’s major projects, Matrix programme costs have been presented separately i.e. deducted from other totals above.2019-20 outturn for the Capability line as shown within the 2020-21 Annual Report and Account was prepared for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, DSIT’s predecessor department. Since then, multiple Machinery of Government (MoG) changes have taken place, resulting in significant movements of policy responsibilities across government departments, including DSIT, DESNZ, DBT, DCMS and the Cabinet Office.It should be highlighted that the Matrix programme - representing a material element of 2024-25 expenditure has only come into operation in more recent years. For these reasons, the two financial years are therefore not readily comparable.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to table 1 of Annex A of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25, if he will publish a breakdown of the spending of Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit spending on Deliver an ambitious industrial strategy, net in that financial year.

Please find below breakdown of the ‘Deliver an ambitious industrial strategy’ line outturn for FY 2024-25 per table 1 in Annex A of the DSIT Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25: Geospatial Commission £147.676mMet Office £146.027mNational Measurement Service £121.310mOffice for Life Sciences £42.384mPosition, Navigation & Timing (PNT) Office £0.564mInnovation & Research £0.215mResearch Base Innovation £0.012mTotal £458.188m

Innovation and Technology, for what reason (a) the number of staff and (b) staff costs have increased at the National Physical Laboratory since April 2017.

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is a Public Corporation owned by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. NPL manages its staffing levels in response to demand for its services from UK Government, industry and academia, and in line with forecasted revenue.Staffing numbers and costs at NPL have increased since 2017 because of increased demand from Government and industry to build national capability in measurement and standards, aligned with industry needs and emerging tech.Staffing costs have also increased through annual pay awards, which is managed by NPL and takes account of Managing Public Money and public sector pay policy.

Innovation and Technology, for what reason (a) the number of staff and (b) staff costs have increased at the Information Commissioner's Office since April 2017.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is independent of government and sets its own staffing levels to meet its statutory duties. The ICO is funded primarily through the data protection fee and manages its resources in accordance with its regulatory obligations.The volume and complexity of data protection work have increased significantly in recent years, including implementation of the UK GDPR and an expanded regulatory remit. To fulfil these responsibilities and respond to rising public and business demand, the ICO has required additional specialist capacity. Staffing costs have therefore increased in line with workforce growth and market rates for technical expertise, following the civil service pay guidance.You can find more information about ICO’s staff number and costs in their annual reports, which can be viewed at: https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/our-information/annual-reports/.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to table 1 of Annex A of the Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25, if he will publish a breakdown of the spending of Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit (CDEL) spending on Science and Research, excluding CDEL on Science and Research (ALB), net in that financial year.

Please find below a breakdown of the Science and Research line outturn for FY 2024-25 per table 1 in Annex A of the DSIT Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25:British Academy£60.228mResearch Base£113.700mRoyal Academy of Engineering£41.971mRoyal Society£111.429mSpace Directorate£30.841mUK Space Agency£607.077mResearch Capital Investment Fund£37.949mHorizon and Copernicus Association£1,043.123mOffice for Quantum£1.197mTotal£2,047.515m

Innovation and Technology, for what reason employment and wage costs have increased at the Intellectual Property Office since April 2017.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is an executive agency of the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), with delegated responsibility for operational matters including salaries. Salary costs have increased since 2017 due to two main factors. Headcount has increased over this period, driven both by a sustained increase in demand for IP Services plus investment in a Transformation programme aimed at delivering better digital services to our customers and internal frontline staff. The second reason is the application of the annual pay awards. IPO complies fully with the Cabinet Office annual pay remit guidance and annual pay cases are approved by HMT through a rigorous business case process.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to Table 2 in the UKRI Budget Allocation, published on 17 December 2025, if she will itemise the wider priorities category of targeted investment in industrial strategy growth sectors, including spending allocated to i) climate adaption, environment and resilience, ii) space and iii) food, animal and plant health for each of the remaining years of the Spending Review period.

In addition to funding for the Industrial Strategy sectors, UKRI’s allocations towards strategic governmental and societal priorities and innovative company support include dedicated funding for wider priorities. This category is intended to be open to targeted investment in climate adaptation, environment and resilience, space, and food, animal and plant health, while retaining flexibility to respond to emerging priorities. Decisions on the detailed breakdown of funding across the specific areas will be taken in due course, informed by engagement with DSIT, other government departments, and external stakeholders including universities, researchers, industry and innovators. Further details of investments will follow in due course.Other UKRI areas of investment may also have cross-cutting benefits for these areas, for example through investments in critical technologies and research infrastructure. UKRI will continue to manage its budgets dynamically to capture emerging opportunities and ensure maximum impact.

Innovation and Technology, what the average number of working days lost to sickness absence per full-time equivalent member of staff was in (a) the Department and (b) its executive agencies in the last year; and how many formal performance warnings were issued to staff whose absence exceeded departmental triggers.

Sickness absence data for the Civil Service, including departmental breakdowns, are published annually and are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absenceThe requested data on formal warnings are not held centrally in a reportable format.

Innovation and Technology, how many and what proportion of staff were promoted (a) in-grade and (b) to a higher grade in the last year broken down by (i) performance marking in the previous year and (ii) grade.

The latest data held centrally are set out in the Table below.They refer to DSIT staff who were promoted to higher grade within the Department during the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 and who were DSIT employees throughout that year.The data exclude (i) any staff promoted to roles outside DSIT and (ii) Government Digital Service as they did not formally transfer into the Department until June 2025.DSIT did not promote in-grade.Regarding part b(i) of the question, information to cross-reference promotions to performance markings is not held centrally and consequently cannot be provided. Table: Staff Promotions by Grade (Number of staff and Percentage of Grade) in DSIT from 1/4/2024 to 31/3/2025 inclusiveGradeNo. Promoted% of Grade who were promotedAO 0%EO<=30<=30HEO8425%FASTSTREAM<=30<=30SEO328%G7<=30<=30G6<=30<=30SCS 1<=30<=30Total1568%*Numbers of 30 or fewer employees have been redacted.

Innovation and Technology, what the total cost was of (a) settlement agreements and (b) special severance payments made to departing staff in the last year.

For the last financial year, the total cost to DSIT of payments associated with settlement agreements is set out in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dsit-annual-report-and-accounts-2024-to-2025Where relevant, this includes special severance payments that have associated settlement agreements.

Innovation and Technology, in the past twelve months, how many disciplinary cases were concluded against civil servants in (a) the Department and (b) its agencies broken down by (i) outcome and (ii) whether the primary allegation related to (A) performance and (B) conduct.

Data on the number of Disciplinary/Conduct cases and Performance cases which have concluded and had an outcome recorded in DSIT and its 4 Executive Agencies in the 12 months to December 2025 are provided in the table below.Figures reflect only cases where HR Casework Services were engaged and details formally recorded; issues managed independently by line managers are not included. Categories reflect those used by each organisation for recording this information. Table - DSIT & Executive Agencies Disciplinary and Performance Case Outcomes (12 months to December 2025)OrganisationCase TypeTotal CasesWritten WarningInformal ActionResignedDismissedNo Case Found / ImprovementOther OutcomesDSITDisciplinary2267≤5-≤5≤5DSITPerformance41≤51211≤511≤5BDUKDisciplinary≤5---≤5≤5-BDUKPerformance≤5≤5≤5≤5---IPODisciplinary1610--≤5≤5-IPOPerformance1313--≤5--UKSADisciplinary≤5******UKSAPerformance6******Met OfficeDisciplinary7-≤5≤5-≤5≤5Met OfficePerformance29≤5---27≤5* Breakdown not availableDSIT Executive Agencies include: Intellectual Property Office (IPO), UK Space Agency (UKSA), the Met Office, and Building Digital UK (BDUK). BDUK ceased to be an Executive Agency and became a Directorate of DSIT on 1 November 2025.Redactions: Where numbers are five or fewer, “≤5” is shown to protect confidentiality.

Innovation and Technology, how many and what proportion of staff in each grade were rated in the top performance category in the last year.

The table below sets out, by grade, the number of staff in DSIT recorded as having been assessed as ‘Exceeding’ – the highest performance rating for SCS and DSIT delegated grade staff – at the end of the most recent full reporting year (31 March 2025). It also lists what percentage this represents of the total number of staff at each grade.This data relates to DSIT staff excluding Government Digital Service as they did not formally transfer into the Department until June 2025. GradeExceedingGrand TotalExceeding % of GradeAO<=30<=30-EO<=3078-HEO5431817%SEO8540621%G64717727%G715661026%FASTSTREAM<=30<=30<=30SCS<=30162-DSIT Total384177222%*Numbers of 30 or fewer employees have been redacted.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to DSIT Main Estimate memorandum 2025 to 2026, if she will provide a breakdown of past and planned capital spending in the category of 'Science and Society'; and for what reasons this spending has increased from 2024 to 2025 levels.

For 2024/25 the total capital spend on Research and Development (R&D) in the category of Science and Society was £111.4m and for 2023/24 was £109.9m. £216.8m spend is planned for 2025/26 as presented within the Main Estimate for 2025/26. Science and Society is a reporting category and budgeted allocations from this area are sometimes reallocated to other DSIT reporting categories during the financial year. The budget at Main Estimate is therefore often higher than at Supplementary Estimate due to the timing of the budget allocations. Future year plans for 'Science and Society' will be confirmed as part of future Estimates.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the DSIT Main Estimate memoranda for the years 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026, for what reason there has been an increase in the capital spending allocated to the Met Office during this period.

The movement in capital spending allocated to the Met Office reflected the latest plans for the delivery of the new supercomputer milestones.