Chi Onwurah MP: written questions
398 published records · newest first.
Written questions
River Tyne: BridgesDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25217More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 21309 on River Tyne: Bridges, if she will meet the Port of Tyne to discuss the Swing Bridge.
Answer: The department engages actively with many UK ports, including the Port of Tyne. However, the department has not engaged specifically with the Port of Tyne on this issue as it is a matter for the port and/or other local parties.
Answered 27 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordRiver Tyne: BridgesDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25216More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 21309 on River Tyne: Bridges, what responsibilities the Port of Tyne has for (a) the navigability of the River Tyne and (b) the Swing Bridge.
Answer: The department has not engaged specifically with the Port of Tyne on this issue as it is a matter for the port and/or other local parties. The specific areas of responsibility of the Port of Tyne, and other parties, for navigational purposes and the Swing...
Answered 24 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDriverless VehiclesDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25215More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her Department's timeline is for making autonomous vehicles commercially available for use on UK roads.
Answer: Following Royal Assent of the Automated Vehicles (AV) Act, our world-leading work on the safe implementation of automated vehicles on our road’s presses ahead with a suite of consultations to enable implementation of the AV regulatory framework in 2027. T...
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordOverseas StudentsDepartment for EducationTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25214More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential benefits and disbenefits for (a) prospective and (b) current students of international student recruitment agencies operating in the UK.
Answer: The government welcomes international students, who enrich our university campuses, forge lifelong friendships with our domestic students and make a significant economic contribution to the UK.Higher education (HE) providers are autonomous institutions, w...
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy SupplyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25213More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the pause to the applications process for new entrants to the connections queue from 29 January 2025 announced by the National Energy Systems Operator on 15 January 2025, wh
Answer: The short pause on connection applications is a necessary, transitional step in delivering fundamental connections reforms that, if approved by Ofgem, could reduce the connections queue by up to half and will enable accelerated connections for many genera...
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDriverless Vehicles: RegulationDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25212More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability of skills within the Civil Service to effectively regulate self-driving vehicles.
Answer: Responsibility for new self-driving vehicle regulatory processes will be aligned with the Department for Transport’s executive agencies’ existing responsibilities for conventional vehicles, ensuring effective use of their expertise around vehicles regulat...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDriverless Vehicles: Artificial IntelligenceDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25211More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the AI Opportunities Action Plan, published on 13 January 2025, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the alignment between the plan and other Government policies on the deployment
Answer: The Department for Transport supported the development of the AI Opportunities Action Plan, including providing contributions on the policy intentions for the deployment of self-driving vehicles. The Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, a joint u...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDriverless Vehicles: Artificial IntelligenceDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25210More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the AI Opportunities Action Plan, published on 13 January 2025, whether the plan will help support the introduction of regulations on UK-based self-driving vehicle companies.
Answer: The 2025 AI Opportunities Action Plan (the Plan) supports the introduction of regulations on UK-based self-driving vehicle companies. The Plan notes the role self-driving vehicles play in contributing to the UK’s position as an AI superpower, including UK...
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordUK Research and Innovation: StaffDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25209More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2024 to Question 23744 on UK Research and Innovation: Staff, how many business growth advisors operate in each region.
Answer: The funding for IUK Business Growth core advisory activities for 2024-25 is £41.8m, servicing approximately 10,000 innovative businesses a year with light touch Growth, or more intensive High Growth/Scaling support, this data is published as part of Innov...
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordUK Research and Innovation: StaffDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25208More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2024 to Question 23744 on UK Research and Innovation: Staff, how much funding Innovate UK has allocated for business growth advisors in the 2024-25
Answer: The funding for IUK Business Growth core advisory activities for 2024-25 is £41.8m, servicing approximately 10,000 innovative businesses a year with light touch Growth, or more intensive High Growth/Scaling support, this data is published as part of Innov...
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordUK Research and Innovation: StaffDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25207More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2024 to Question 23744 on UK Research and Innovation: Staff, whether Innovate UK has made an assessment of the value for money of business growth ad
Answer: UKRI continuously evaluates the impact of investments across its portfolio to ensure value for money and effectiveness. Innovate UK Business Growth, which includes the business growth advisors, has been independently evaluated multiple times since its inc...
Answered 24 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: Artificial IntelligenceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24166More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 21604 on Department for Work and Pensions: Artificial Intelligence, whether her Department has taken steps to inform benefits claimants that machine
Answer: The DWP Personal Information Charter explains to benefit claimants how we use Machine Learning to help detect and prevent fraud and error.
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordCommercial Clinical Trials in the UK ReviewDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24165More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Full government response to the Lord O'Shaughnessy review into commercial clinical trials, published on 8 December 2023, if he will publish an assessment of progress on implem
Answer: The Department is committed to implementing recommendations from the Lord O'Shaughnessy independent review of commercial clinical trials in full, in order to maximise our potential to be a world leader and develop a more competitive, efficient, and access...
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: Digital TechnologyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24164More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to provide (a) resources and (b) expertise to (i) assess digital health technologies and (ii) maintain the safety of its recommendations.
Answer: The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is equipped with both the resource and expertise to assess regulated Digital Health Technologies used across the National Health Service. The NICE produces guidance for the use of technologies, i...
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: ScreeningDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24163More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the planned timetable is for the UK National Screening Committee review of its advice on screening for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Answer: The UK National Screening Committee last reviewed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in 2018, and recommended against a national screening programme for three reasons:the lack of an accurate test to detect the condition at an early stage;it is n...
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordSmall Modular ReactorsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23758More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to Great British Energy's press release, Negotiations begin for UK’s small modular reactor programme, published on 11 November 2024, what steps he is taking to help ensure deci
Answer: As announced at the Autumn Budget, Great British Nuclear is driving forward the small modular reactor competition for UK deployment and is negotiating with four shortlisted companies. Once negotiations have concluded, the companies will be invited to subm...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordNuclear Power: Energy SupplyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23757More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his Department's target is for nuclear capacity in gigawatts by (a) 2030, (b) 2040 and (c) 2050.
Answer: Nuclear power currently provides ca. 15% of the UK’s electricity (6GW). As the current fleet retires, the Clean Power Action Plan anticipates a drop in capacity to 3-4GW in 2030.We see nuclear as an important part of the mix going forward and are pushing ...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordSmall Modular ReactorsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23756More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many and what proportion of full-time equivalent members of staff in Great British Nuclear work on the UK’s small modular reactor programme.
Answer: Great British Nuclear is driving forward its small modular reactor competition for UK deployment. To deliver on this mission, GBN has grown rapidly as an organisation and as of January 2025, GBN has c.145 FTE in total, of which c.90 FTE are focused direct...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordSmall Modular ReactorsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23755More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many and what proportion of full-time equivalent members of staff in his Department work on supporting (a) advanced and (b) small modular nuclear reactors.
Answer: Advanced nuclear policy which includes Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs) is administered by the Net Zero, Nuclear, and International (NZNI) Group within the Department. This includes an advanced nuclear policy function, a ...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordSmall Modular Reactors: Data CentresDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23754More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will have discussions with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on the potential for small modular nuclear reactors to power datacentres in the UK.
Answer: DESNZ and DSIT officials are already working together on the potential for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to power data centres in the UK and will continue to do so. The recently announced AI Energy Council is also an avenue for DESNZ and DSIT SoS to discu...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy: Nuclear FusionDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23753More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits nuclear fusion as a future energy source.
Answer: Fusion has the potential to provide virtually limitless, low-carbon, safe, baseload energy which could revolutionise global energy production. The UK is at the forefront of commercialising fusion technology and is building a strong fusion industry which a...
Answered 21 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordBioengineering: FinanceDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23752More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether it remains his policy to invest £2 billion over 10 years in engineering biology.
Answer: The government remains committed to supporting the UK Engineering Biology sector. DSIT will set out its spending plans in line with the Spending Review timelines set by HM Treasury, with departmental funding settlements being announced in the Spring
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPatentsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23751More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Intellectual Property Office publication entitled Standard Essential Patents: 2024 forward look, published on 27 February 2024, what his planned timetable is for t
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) to the UK economy and the objectives published in February 2024 continue to underpin the Intellectual Property Office’s (IPO) work. Delivering against those objectives, the IPO ...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPatentsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23750More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the SEPs Resource Hub launched by the IPO in October 2024 on small and medium enterprises.
Answer: From its launch on 22 July 2024 to 15 January 2025, the Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) Resource Hub has been accessed by 869 unique users. The IPO has sought feedback from stakeholders to assess whether they have accessed, understood, and implemented t...
Answered 17 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPatentsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23749More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to reform the regulation of Standard Essential Patents to support innovation and growth among UK technology small and medium enterprises.
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) to the UK economy and the objectives published in February 2024 continue to underpin the Intellectual Property Office’s (IPO) work. Delivering against those objectives, the IPO ...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament record
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