Gender Bias in Innovation Funding
Innovate UK's funding structures and processes exhibiting systemic bias against female entrepreneurs.
195 items
5 sources
Source spread
Where this theme appears
Gender Bias in Innovation Funding has been flagged across 5 independent accountability sources:
182 committee recs
2 NAO recs
3 IMB recs
7 PHSO decisions
1 LGO/SPSO decision
When the same issue appears across inquiries, coroner reports, and regulators independently, it indicates a recurring issue across the public record.
Browse by source
Source-grouped records are useful for tracing where a concern came from. Large sections show the 50 strongest matches for that source; counts still show the full theme total.
Committee Recommendations (182) — showing 50 strongest matches
#51 — Provide additional funding for early diagnosis and treatment of women’s reproductive health conditions.
Recommendation: We call on the Government to recognise the financial benefits of increased investment in early diagnosis and treatment of women’s reproductive health conditions and provide the additional funding necessary to truly transform the support available to the millions of women …
Gov response: The government recognises that early intervention is crucial to prevent women’s reproductive health conditions from worsening and support women to remain in education and work. As set out in previous responses to 'Recommendation 5' and …
Not Addressed
#49 — Allocate increased ringfenced funding for research into women’s reproductive health and boost clinical academia interest.
Recommendation: The Government should allocate increased, ringfenced funding to support research into the causes, diagnosis and treatment of women’s reproductive health conditions. While increased funding will in itself attract more researchers to this area, NHS England and research bodies should also …
Gov response: The government funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which is the research delivery arm of DHSC, and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The government fully recognises: • the importance …
Accepted
#47 — Research into women's reproductive health conditions remains insufficient due to inadequate prioritisation and incentives.
Recommendation: Finding the causes of women’s reproductive health conditions and new and better diagnostic tools and treatments for them cannot happen without sufficient research, which includes all groups of women and others affected, at different life stages. Yet research remains lacking …
Gov response: The government funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which is the research delivery arm of DHSC, and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The government fully recognises: • the importance …
Accepted
#39 — Gap in financial and enterprise education disproportionately affects young women.
Recommendation: This gap disproportionately affects young women, who will face greater barriers in accessing networks, mentorship, and funding, and whose confidence drops as they progress through education. Embedding enterprise and financial literacy skills into the curriculum is essential to creating a …
Gov response: As part of the response to the Curriculum and Assessment (CAR) Review’s final report,18 published on 5 November, the Government has made a commitment to strengthen pupils’ foundational understanding of financial education in mathematics and …
Accepted
#28 — Develop specific entrepreneurial support programmes for women in postgraduate and postdoctoral studies.
Recommendation: Universities are a vital source of innovative start-ups, but evidence to this inquiry suggests women are less likely to take up entrepreneurship courses and/or develop spinouts than their male peers. This is a missed opportunity for growth. The Government should …
Gov response: This Government is launching entrepreneurship fellowships to support commercialisation in universities in the UK, including those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, supporting UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) existing investments to fuel regional growth across …
Accepted
#27 — Develop a programme promoting targeted, female-focused accelerators in underrepresented high-growth sectors.
Recommendation: The Government should develop a specific programme of promoting targeted, female-focused accelerators in high growth sectors where women are underrepresented. Such a measure was noticeably missing from the Industrial Strategy. (Recommendation, Paragraph 111)
Gov response: We recognise the importance of targeted support for female founders in the high-growth sectors and share the ambition to address underrepresentation in these areas. Government is working to align initiatives that support women with the …
Accepted
#26 — Establish a large-scale nationwide programme supporting female founders to sustain and scale businesses.
Recommendation: As part of a new Strategy for Female Entrepreneurship, the Government should establish a large-scale nationwide programme dedicated to supporting female founders across all sectors to sustain and scale up their businesses. The programme should offer mentorship, sponsorship, coaching and …
Gov response: Government agrees in the value of unlocking the potential of people and place, so that no matter who you are or where you live impacts your business growth. This is why we are proud to …
Accepted
#24 — Insufficient support and opportunities exist for female founders outside the ‘Golden Triangle’.
Recommendation: There is a lack of pitch events, accelerators, networks and mentorship opportunities for female founders. Many that do exist tend to be focused on the ‘Golden Triangle’ of Cambridge, Oxford and London, limiting the growth potential of businesses in other …
Gov response: As part of the response to the Curriculum and Assessment (CAR) Review’s final report,18 published on 5 November, the Government has made a commitment to strengthen pupils’ foundational understanding of financial education in mathematics and …
Accepted
#22 — Urge institutional investors to increase support for female-led businesses and the Invest in Women Taskforce.
Recommendation: Institutional investors, including major banks and pension funds, are a key component of the funding landscape. We call on them to do much more to support female-led businesses, including through supporting the Invest in Women Taskforce. (Recommendation, Paragraph 87)
Gov response: We recognise the vital role that institutional investors play in the funding landscape and in increasing access to finance for female-led businesses. The Government is addressing the lack of UK pension fund investment in innovative …
Accepted
#21 — Significant gap in support for female entrepreneurs scaling businesses due to lack of capital.
Recommendation: There is a clear gap in support for female entrepreneurs who wish to scale their business or even to make it sustainable, particularly those whose businesses do not fall within those sectors of the economy considered ‘high growth’. We believe …
Gov response: Government agrees in the value of unlocking the potential of people and place, so that no matter who you are or where you live impacts your business growth. This is why we are proud to …
Accepted
#19 — Remove the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) age limit on eligibility entirely.
Recommendation: The Government should remove entirely the age limit on eligibility for the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS). The existing seven-year threshold does not adequately reflect the structural and social challenges faced by many 55 female founders, including longer growth trajectories typical …
Gov response: EIS in one of the three venture capital schemes intended to incentivise investment into early-stage, higher-risk companies. These companies are most likely to be affected by market failures such as information asymmetry due to their …
Not Accepted
#18 — Launch a Female Enterprise Investment Scheme with higher incentives for women-led businesses.
Recommendation: The Government should launch a Female Enterprise Investment Scheme to sit alongside the EIS and SEIS, with higher incentives to specifically drive investment in women-led businesses. People who invest in women-led businesses should receive greater benefits. Existing biases in the …
Gov response: Government supports the goal of showcasing female role models and better promoting the Invest in Women Hub. To maximise impact and ensure clarity across the ecosystem, we believe this is best achieved through amplifying industry-led …
Under Consideration
#17 — Awareness and take-up of SEIS/EIS tax incentives remain low among women investors.
Recommendation: Tax incentives such as SEIS and EIS have proven effective in stimulating investment. Yet awareness, accessibility and take-up remain lower among women investors and outside of the South East. To achieve meaningful change, government and industry must work together to …
Gov response: Increasing female-led participation in existing schemes, improving awareness of them among both entrepreneurs and investors, and building more inclusive investment networks are practical and immediate avenues for progress. We welcome the recommendations around greater awareness …
Partially Accepted
#16 — Ringfence 30% of Regional Angel Programme funding for female investors and businesses; publish data.
Recommendation: We call on the British Business Bank to ringfence a minimum of 30% of Regional Angel Programme funding for supporting female angel investors and investment in female-led businesses across the regions and to publish data on take-up by gender. The …
Gov response: We recognise the importance of targeted support for female founders in the high-growth sectors and share the ambition to address underrepresentation in these areas. Government is working to align initiatives that support women with the …
Under Consideration
#15 — Insufficient funding for female entrepreneurs and lack of transparency in Regional Angel Programme.
Recommendation: We welcome the increase in funding to the British Business Bank’s Regional Angel Programme. However, we are not reassured that a sufficient proportion of the funding will go to addressing the market failure in support for female entrepreneurs and we …
Gov response: Government agrees in the value of unlocking the potential of people and place, so that no matter who you are or where you live impacts your business growth. This is why we are proud to …
Accepted
#14 — Gender imbalance among angel investors limits growth of female-led businesses.
Recommendation: Angel investment is a vital lifeline for early-stage female-led businesses, particularly in sectors where institutional funding remains elusive. While recent growth in angel investment for women-led ventures is encouraging, the gender imbalance among angel investors continues to limit progress. Increasing …
Gov response: We recognise the vital role that institutional investors play in the funding landscape and in increasing access to finance for female-led businesses. 16 Tax Support for Entrepreneurs: Call for Evidence - GOV.UK The Government is …
Accepted
#13 — Set a 10% target for public contracts awarded to female-led businesses by Parliament end.
Recommendation: The Government should set itself a target for the proportion of public contracts awarded to female-led businesses similar to initiatives in Canada, the US and Nordic countries. Given the low base we suggest a target of at least 10% by …
Gov response: The Procurement Act 2023 introduced a new duty for Contracting Authorities to consider SMEs when designing their procurements, for example by prohibiting onerous insurance requirements, and designing lotting structures that make procurements more accessible to …
Partially Accepted
#11 — Require Government to develop and publish an ambitious strategy for advancing female entrepreneurship.
Recommendation: The Government should develop and publish an ambitious strategy for advancing female entrepreneurship to sit alongside and complement the existing Industrial Strategy and SME Strategy. This strategy should be published within 12 months. It should be developed in consultation with …
Gov response: Women are central to unlocking growth for the UK economy and Ministers welcome the Committee’s ambition to amplify this further. That is why this Government is proud that several Ministers, including the Chancellor, are strong …
Not Accepted
#10 — Government Industrial and SME Strategies failed to include specific support for female-led businesses.
Recommendation: The Industrial Strategy and SME Strategy were ideal opportunities for the Government to launch the systemic change required to unlock the enormous potential that female-led businesses can offer. It is deeply disappointing that neither strategy contained any specific measures to …
Gov response: Women are central to unlocking growth for the UK economy and Ministers welcome the Committee’s ambition to amplify this further. That is why this Government is proud that several Ministers, including the Chancellor, are strong …
Not Accepted
#9 — Require Innovate UK to ringfence 30% of funding and reform processes for female entrepreneurs.
Recommendation: Public funding structures should challenge gender bias and not reinforce it. Innovate UK should: • ringfence a minimum of 30% of its funding for female entrepreneurs with year on year increases to 40% by 2030; 53 • in the short …
Gov response: We welcome the Committee’s focus on improving access to finance for female entrepreneurs and share the ambition of ensuring that innovative businesses can thrive regardless of the gender or background of their founders. The British …
Under Consideration
#8 — Innovate UK's funding structures and processes exhibit systemic bias against female entrepreneurs.
Recommendation: Innovate UK provides an essential funding stream for mainly male entrepreneurs. Women who seek to access funding from it report their projects being undervalued and subject to biased investment decisions from majority male assessment panels. Match funding requirements exclude women …
Gov response: We welcome the Committee’s spotlight on Innovate UK as a leader on this agenda and are pleased to share its recently announced programmes and commitments. Innovate UK is committed to driving inclusive innovation and realising …
Not Addressed
#7 — Prepare Government to intervene on gender quotas if female entrepreneur investment does not improve.
Recommendation: Wo do not support mandating gender quotas on investment committees at this stage, as measures to improve transparency and increased incentives to change behaviour should be given time to have an effect; but the Government should not rule out intervention …
Gov response: We agree with the Committee that supporting women-led businesses is complementary to the Industrial and SME Strategies and we are working collaboratively across government on this basis. It should be noted that women were included …
Accepted
#6 — Require British Business Bank to mandate data on equitable investment decisions for female-led businesses.
Recommendation: In the immediate term, the British Business Bank must take more of an interest in whom its funding supports. Venture capital firms and angel investors that benefit from public funding should be required to demonstrate gender-equitable investment decisions. The British …
Gov response: We welcome the Committee’s focus on improving access to finance for female entrepreneurs and share the ambition of ensuring that innovative businesses can thrive regardless of the gender or background of their founders. The British …
Partially Accepted
#5 — Mandate FCA to require venture capital firms to report and publish female-led business funding data.
Recommendation: We do not accept arguments that transparency and accountability in venture capital are too difficult, and neither should the Government. The Financial Conduct Authority should be mandated to require all registered venture capital firms to report on the number and …
Gov response: We welcome the Committee’s spotlight on Innovate UK as a leader on this agenda and are pleased to share its recently announced programmes and commitments. Innovate UK is committed to driving inclusive innovation and realising …
Under Consideration
#4 — Require British Business Bank to set target to increase equity finance for female entrepreneurs to 10%.
Recommendation: We recommend that the British Business Bank should: • have a fifth strategic objective, to ensure that equity finance to female entrepreneurs in the UK increases from 2% to 10% by 2030; • set itself the target of ensuring that …
Gov response: The Government agrees and does not rule out interventions in the future if the level of venture capital investment in female entrepreneurs shows no sign of improvement. 13 https://iuk-business-connect.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Advancing-Women- led-Innovation-%E2%80%93-Our-Pledge-for-Progress.pdf
Accepted
#3 — British Business Bank initiatives for women in venture capital are welcome but insufficient.
Recommendation: We welcome new initiatives by the British Business Bank to support more women into venture capital, particularly the commitment that at least 50% of investment from the Investor Pathways Capital initiative will be targeted at female fund managers and the …
Gov response: We welcome the Committee’s focus on improving access to finance for female entrepreneurs and share the ambition of ensuring that innovative businesses can thrive regardless of the gender or background of their founders. The British …
Accepted
#2 — Require significant state intervention to increase access to finance for female founders.
Recommendation: The prize of £250 billion plus in potential growth is one that the Government should throw everything it has at pursuing. Current piecemeal initiatives have had little impact, systemic change is required. First and foremost this needs to be led …
Gov response: We welcome the Committee’s call for better transparency and accountability for investors. We would highlight the government-led Investing in Women Code as a significant initiative in this area. The Code produces an annual report on …
Accepted
#1 — Require venture capital firms to increase the proportion of women on investment committees.
Recommendation: It should be a concern to all that a tiny fraction of venture capital investment goes to supporting women-led businesses. Despite numerous reviews and initiatives this situation is getting worse not better. Venture capital firms must do more to challenge …
Gov response: We welcome the Committee’s focus on improving access to finance for female entrepreneurs and share the ambition of ensuring that innovative businesses can thrive regardless of the gender or background of their founders. The British …
Accepted
#21 — Ensure FCDO retains expertise and provides gender-specific funding to empower marginalised groups.
Recommendation: The FCDO must have the expertise and resources required to empower marginalised groups in decision-making forums, as well as the ability to equip them in their efforts to bring about lasting change in their communities. The FCDO will need to …
Gov response: Partially Agree 34. The FCDO is transitioning to differentiated development partnerships based on mutual benefit – taking account of country need and long term UK interest. The UK will prioritize our geographic ODA where humanitarian …
No Published Response
#7 — Require disclosure of diversity statistics for EIS, SEIS, VCT tax relief eligibility.
Recommendation: HM Treasury should make provision of diversity statistics a requirement for eligibility to receive EIS, SEIS and VCT tax reliefs. Firms should be required to disclose the gender and ethnic breakdown of both recipients of their funding and their own …
Gov response: HM Treasury agrees that a diverse and inclusive business ecosystem is good for customers, entrepreneurs, businesses, and investors. There are a number of government-led initiatives which aim to promote a more diverse and inclusive investment …
Not Accepted
#4 — Venture capital market diversity statistics remain unacceptable and progress too slow.
Recommendation: The diversity statistics in the venture capital market are unacceptable. Venture capital firms are dominated overwhelmingly by white men, and the recipients of venture capital funding are even more unrepresentative of the wider UK population in terms of gender and …
Gov response: HM Treasury agrees that a diverse and inclusive business ecosystem is good for customers, entrepreneurs, businesses, and investors. There are a number of government-led initiatives which aim to promote a more diverse and inclusive investment …
Partially Accepted
#12 — Gender inequality causes limited progress and availability of female-specific sports kit and equipment.
Recommendation: It is symptomatic of gender inequality and sexism in the sports sector that the first football boot in the world designed around female feet came to the market less than four years ago. Since then, limited progress has been made …
Gov response: The Government accepts this recommendation. The Government believes that, through the National Physical Activity Taskforce (NPAT) and Board of Women’s Sport, the above recommendation can be achieved. In September 2023, the Department for Culture, Media …
Not Addressed
#10 — Slow response to women's ACL injuries indicates systemic gender inequality in sports research.
Recommendation: There has been a slow and disparate response to disproportionately high rates of ACL injury in women’s football. We have no doubt that a health issue of similar magnitude affecting elite male footballers would have received a faster, more thorough, …
Gov response: The Government accepts this recommendation. Sport needs to be a welcoming, inclusive and fair environment that participants and their parents or guardians can have confidence in. We also want to ensure that we have the …
Accepted
#29 — Launch a national campaign highlighting female role models and promoting the Invest in Women Hub.
Recommendation: Alongside a strategy on female entrepreneurship, the Government should launch a national campaign highlighting female role models at all stages of the entrepreneurial journey. It also needs to better promote the Invest in Women Hub. (Recommendation, Paragraph 113) Caregiving and …
Gov response: Government supports the goal of showcasing female role models and better promoting the Invest in Women Hub. To maximise impact and ensure clarity across the ecosystem, we believe this is best achieved through amplifying industry-led …
Partially Accepted
#25 — Regional mentorship programmes for founders are too small-scale to drive national growth.
Recommendation: We received compelling evidence on the value of tailored mentorship programmes and support both for investors and founders. More regional initiatives are being developed but, while these are extremely welcome, 56 we are concerned that they are too small in …
Gov response: The Department for Education is reforming the curriculum to make STEM more relevant and engaging for every pupil, including girls. By embedding examples of scientists and innovators from diverse backgrounds throughout programmes of study, we …
Under Consideration
#23 — Require Government update on steps to secure investor support for the Invest in Women Taskforce.
Recommendation: The Government should update us in its response to this Report on the steps it is taking through its convening powers to get those investors, particularly the signatories of the Mansion House Accord, to support the Taskforce. (Recommendation, Paragraph 88) …
Gov response: As set out in the Budget, the Department for Education will lead a review of childcare provision. The purpose of this review is to simplify the system for providers and families, making it easier to …
Under Consideration
#20 — Launch campaign to raise awareness of SEIS, EIS, and FEIS among investors and entrepreneurs.
Recommendation: The government should launch a campaign to increase awareness of the SEIS, EIS and proposed FEIS schemes among investors and female entrepreneurs. The campaign should be appropriately tailored to ensure underrepresented groups of women are aware of the schemes. The …
Gov response: Department for Work Pensions, launched on 1 July 2025, presents a much- needed opportunity to consider our approach to the system of parental leave and pay for all parents including for the self-employed. The review …
Under Consideration
#12 — Establish a dedicated Minister and Office in DBT to oversee women's business strategy.
Recommendation: The strategy should be overseen by a dedicated Minister and Office within the Department for Business and Trade akin to the US Office of Women’s Business Ownership, with an assigned budget and responsibility for driving implementation of the strategy, and …
Gov response: The Government has also published a Call for Evidence that seeks views on the effectiveness of existing tax incentives, and the wider tax system for business founders and scaling firms, and how the UK can …
Under Consideration
#14 — Develop an evidence-led plan to increase diversity within the transport manufacturing sector.
Recommendation: Skills England should by the end of 2026 set out an evidence-led plan, commissioning research necessary to fill gaps in knowledge on what has worked best in the manufacturing sector, detailing how it will support the Government’s target to increase …
Gov response: The Government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity by building skills for opportunity and growth so that every young person can follow the path that is right for them. DfT is delivering against …
No Published Response
#13 — Significant challenge persists in increasing diversity within the transport manufacturing sector.
Recommendation: There is a significant and complex challenge to be overcome in increasing diversity in the transport manufacturing sector. We welcome the Department for Transport’s commitment to work with industry to change outdated perceptions of manufacturing and strongly endorse the Government’s …
Gov response: The Government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity by building skills for opportunity and growth so that every young person can follow the path that is right for them. DfT is delivering against …
No Published Response
#11 —
Recommendation: We are concerned by the likely increase in gender inequality following the outbreak of covid-19 and its potential impact upon programmes promoting gender equality. In its response to this report, the FCDO should set out how they have implemented Covid-19 …
Gov response: We are also concerned that the impact of covid-19 on women and girls has been disproportionate and that the crisis has exacerbated many of the challenges that they already faced. FCDO is working to ensure …
Under Consideration
#5 —
Recommendation: Women are traditionally under-represented in sectors that have been singled out for Government investment, such as science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and construction. More must be done to tackle gender inequalities in representation and career progression in these male-dominated …
Gov response: Building Back Better is not about providing support for entire sectors because they provide what are traditionally considered ‘women’s jobs’ but ensuring everyone is able to benefit from the new opportunities opening up in growth …
Not Addressed
#2 —
Recommendation: The benefits of raising levels of diversity and inclusion in STEM education, research settings and workplaces were highlighted by many contributors to our inquiry. The Government, UKRI, other research funders, industry and the education sector have led and participated in …
Gov response: 4. The Government acknowledges the significant benefits of fostering an inclusive, diverse and welcoming environment in STEM education, research, and employment settings. Improving diversity and inclusion in STEM settings is a crucial aspect of achieving …
Not Addressed
#18 —
Recommendation: The Government should set out in the renewed Women’s Health Strategy a rigorous approach to tackling the risks from ineffective, unsafe and exploitative for-profit FemTech apps. To combat demand for these apps the Government must increase resourcing of the NHS’s …
Response Pending
#11 — Consult on creating venture capital funds specifically promoting greater diversity in allocation.
Recommendation: We recommend that the Government and British Business Bank consult on the creation of one or more venture capital funds with the specific purpose of promoting greater diversity in venture capital allocation. (Paragraph 55) Regional inequality in venture capital
Gov response: HM Treasury agrees with the Committee on the importance of promoting greater diversity in UK venture capital allocation. The British Business Bank is committed to improving diversity in venture capital allocations and is already making …
Accepted
#10 — Woeful venture capital diversity record presents strong case for specific diversity-focused funds.
Recommendation: The British Business Bank has active funds designed to target specific market failures in venture capital, such as its regional funds. Representatives from the BBB have suggested that diversity-focused funds could theoretically be used in the same way, if there …
Gov response: HM Treasury agrees with the Committee on the importance of promoting greater diversity in UK venture capital allocation. The British Business Bank is committed to improving diversity in venture capital allocations and is already making …
Accepted
#9 — Require ‘comply or explain’ for Women in Finance Charter and Investing in Women Code eligibility.
Recommendation: All relevant organisations in the venture capital industry ought to become signatories to both the Women in Finance Charter and Investing in Women Code, if they have not done so already. We have not determined that compulsory membership is appropriate …
Gov response: HM Treasury agrees with the Committee that the Investing in Women Code and the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter have an essential role in improving diversity in venture capital allocations. The HM Treasury Women …
Not Accepted
#6 — Venture capital tax reliefs remain unacceptably opaque regarding fair deployment of public funds.
Recommendation: Venture capital tax reliefs are uses of public funds. It is only right and proper that their use is open to public scrutiny, including whether such funds are deployed fairly to women and people from ethnic minorities. At the moment, …
Gov response: HM Treasury agrees that a diverse and inclusive business ecosystem is good for customers, entrepreneurs, businesses, and investors. There are a number of government-led initiatives which aim to promote a more diverse and inclusive investment …
Not Addressed
#5 — Lack of transparent and consistent data hinders comprehensive venture capital diversity understanding.
Recommendation: It is difficult to understand comprehensively the diversity breakdown of staffing and investment decisions across the venture capital market and its many small organisations. These firms do not have consistent policies on diversity or associated reporting, and a heavy emphasis …
Gov response: HM Treasury agrees that a diverse and inclusive business ecosystem is good for customers, entrepreneurs, businesses, and investors. There are a number of government-led initiatives which aim to promote a more diverse and inclusive investment …
Not Addressed
#3 — Endemic discrimination and misogyny create significant barriers for women in the music industry, intensified by intersectionality.
Recommendation: Women have significant additional barriers to pass to get a foothold in the music industry and must navigate acts of passive aggression, ridicule, and misogyny to have a sustainable career. Female artists are routinely undervalued and undermined, endure a focus …
Gov response: We fully support the conclusions given in the Misogyny in Music report. The distressing evidence given by women facing discrimination, harassment and abuse in the music industry clearly demonstrates more needs to be done not …
Not Addressed
NAO Audit Recommendations (2)
UK Research and Innovation: providing support through grants
It is vital that UKRI uses all available levers to ensure it is taking as much risk as it would like to in its funding decisions to achieve strategic objectives and to prevent missing out on high-reward opportunities. By April …
Accepted
Investigation into how government is addressing antimicrobial resistance
The government should consider how maximum beneficial impact can be achieved from the classification of AMR as a chronic risk and whether there is value in publishing the government?s full list of chronic risks so that universities, funding bodies, businesses …
IMB Recommendations (3)
Peterborough (Women) (2021)
The Board would like to see further progress on adapting the prison’s regime and practice to suit the needs of women better.
Governor / Director
Askham Grange (2023)
The prison is not at full capacity. Can closed prisons more readily identify women who would benefit from HMP/YOI Askham Grange?
HMPPS
Askham Grange (2024)
The Board recommends that the Minister comments on the impact of the introduction of the Female Offender Strategy Delivery Plan on the numbers of women being sentenced to prison for relatively short periods (i.e. has there been any reduction?).
Ministry of Justice
PHSO Casework Decisions (7)
P-004551 — A practice in the Leeds area
Ms J complains the Practice did not appropriately treat her perimenopause symptoms and disregarded her concerns based on normal blood test results. She complains the Practice did not prescribe her hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and did not advise her of its HRT prescription policy.
NHS in England
Dec 2025
P-004557 — Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Mrs S complains that Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust misdiagnosed her pelvic organ prolapse in February 2023. It said she had uterine prolapse and the only surgery to help was vaginoplasty, which was not available on the NHS.
NHS in England
Not Upheld
Dec 2025
P-002828 — Innovate UK
Mr U complains that Innovate UK rejected his applications for research funding. He complains about its communication and its review process. Mr U complains UKRI’s complaints process is too limited. He complains both organisations are not meeting their responsibilities under modern slavery legislation because they allow UK government funding to …
UK Government
Jul 2024
P-002324 — A practice in the City of Plymouth area
Ms A complains that from October 2021 to November 2022, the Practice delayed prescribing testosterone to treat her menopause symptoms, delayed arranging blood tests and delayed referring her to a gynaecologist.
NHS in England
Nov 2023
P-001277 — UK Research and Innovation
Mr B complained that Innovate UK, which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), failed to properly assess and score his submission for grant funding. He also complained they did not address comments he made in his complaint response
UK Government
Jan 2022
P-003863 — Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Mr R complains the Trust ignored his concerns about severe bleeding and pain during menstruation, refused to help him get a hysterectomy and incorrectly prescribed a contraceptive coil.
NHS in England
Sep 2023
P-001923 — UK Research and Innovation
Dr A applied to UKRI for funding for her research proposal. UKRI did not grant funding and Dr A complains this was because it refused to invalidate one of the three peer reviews of her research proposal.
UK Government
Mar 2023