Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of levels of competition in the UK cloud infrastructure market; and what implications that assessment has for investment in UK cloud and AI infrastructure.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government prioritised the commencement of the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) new powers in digital markets last year to boost competition and fairness in the digital tech sector. Although the CMA operates independently of Government, the Government gave a clear steer for the CMA to use these new powers collaboratively and proportionately.

In March, the CMA announced a package of actions to strengthen competition in business software and cloud services. This includes a Strategic Market Status investigation into Microsoft’s business software under the UK’s digital markets regime, alongside voluntary actions from Amazon and Microsoft that will improve interoperability, reduce data egress fees and make switching easier in cloud services.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have for the Childhood in the Age of AI event on 20-22 April, including (1) who will be attending the summit; (2) what age ranges and topics it will address; and (3) whether it will include discussion of early years.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The ‘Childhood in the Age of AI’ summit will be attended by a diverse group of representatives from civil society, industry, government and representatives of young people. It will address the impacts of AI on children and young people across a wide range of domains, such as education, wellbeing, development and safety. The discussions will not be restricted to any age group.

This work forms part of the government’s work to hear directly from parents and young people across the UK through our National Conversation children’s and young people’s wellbeing online.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the safety, reliability and accountability of AI systems deployed by public services; and what steps they are taking to ensure that appropriate safeguards, testing standards and oversight mechanisms are in place.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government recognises that the safe, reliable and accountable use of artificial intelligence is important to maintaining public trust in public services.

Departments deploying AI systems are expected to consider risks and impacts throughout the system lifecycle, including during design, development, deployment and operation. This includes compliance with safety, transparency, accountability, data protection rules and regulations.

The Government has published guidance to support this, including the Data and AI Ethics Framework, the AI Playbook for Government and the AI Knowledge Hub, which together provide advice on governance, risk management, testing and oversight.

In addition, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has published guidance on AI assurance, and a cross‑government AI Testing and Assurance Framework supports proportionate testing, evaluation and ongoing monitoring.

AI‑enabled services are also expected to meet the GOV.UK Service Standard, including demonstrating that they are safe, secure, reliable and well‑governed.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications for national resilience and economic security of high levels of concentration in the UK cloud infrastructure market.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government prioritised the commencement of the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) new powers in digital markets last year to boost competition and fairness in the digital tech sector. Although the CMA operates independently of Government, the Government gave a clear steer for the CMA to use these new powers collaboratively and proportionately.

In March, the CMA announced a package of actions to strengthen competition in business software and cloud services. This includes a Strategic Market Status investigation into Microsoft’s business software under the UK’s digital markets regime, alongside voluntary actions from Amazon and Microsoft that will improve interoperability, reduce data egress fees and make switching easier in cloud services. Taken together, these steps aim to address identified concerns and support a more competitive, resilient cloud market in the UK.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of enterprise software licensing practices on competition and customer choice in the UK cloud services market.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government prioritised the commencement of the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) new powers in digital markets last year to boost competition and fairness in the digital tech sector. Although the CMA operates independently of Government, the Government gave a clear steer for the CMA to use these new powers collaboratively and proportionately.

In March, the CMA announced a package of actions to strengthen competition in business software and cloud services. This includes a Strategic Market Status investigation into Microsoft’s business software under the UK’s digital markets regime, alongside voluntary actions from Amazon and Microsoft that will improve interoperability, reduce data egress fees and make switching easier in cloud services.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the use of animal testing in sepsis research.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

On 11th November 2025 the government published “Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods” which outlines the steps we will take to achieve this. (Replacing animals in science strategy - GOV.UK)

Sepsis is a complex and multifaceted condition, and its study presents significant scientific challenges. We will consider sepsis during the development of our areas of research interest list to determine the best path forward for new model development that drives scientific innovation, supports improved therapy development, and reduces reliance on animals.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the economic benefits of having an increased number of data centres in the UK.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Data centres are foundational infrastructure for a modern, competitive UK economy, enabling the digital services that underpin productivity across numerous sector, from financial services and advanced manufacturing to public services and the creative industries. By enabling artificial intelligence, cloud computing and data intensive services, data centres generate productivity gains across the wider economy and reinforce the UK’s attractiveness as a crucial destination for investment.

Tech UK has estimated that UK data centres contribute £4.7 billion pounds in gross value added each year and support-tens of thousands of high-quality jobs across construction, operations and specialist supply chains. Operational employment is generally highly skilled and well paid, with wider employment supported through demand for electrical engineering, cooling, digital infrastructure and maintenance services.

HMG’s AI Growth Zone programme will unlock significant private investment and secure compute to drive AI growth, supporting high‑value local jobs and skills. HMG will also invest up to £5 million per Growth Zone, working with local areas to design tailored schemes to realise local economic benefits and boost AI adoption in local communities.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether a UK-made rocket being launched from a licensed UK spaceport in 2026 is still a priority for the Government.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government’s priority is to secure assured access to space for the United Kingdom.

The Government is supporting the development of an operational UK spaceport and a competitive launch market. SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland is Europe’s first licensed vertical launch site and is expecting multiple launches in 2026.

We will work with launch companies that can meet our assured access objectives to develop reliable, secure, and commercially competitive access to space. We will also develop and strengthen existing partnerships with our NATO and European allies.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they commissioned an audit of Orbex; if so, whether they will publish the results of that audit; and whether the Government provided support to Orbex to enable its Prime rocket to be launched from spaceports in the United Kingdom.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

As with all Government investments, appropriate financial, technical and legal due diligence was undertaken before funding decisions were made. The Government does not routinely publish internal assurance or due diligence material, which is commercially sensitive.

The Government provided financial support to Orbex through a combination of direct investment and grant funding to support the development of its Prime launch vehicle.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether British companies able to clean up debris from obsolete satellites in space are able to compete for UK Government grants.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The government has supported British companies to develop capabilities to clean up debris through both grants and contracts, including Astroscale UK, ClearSpace UK and respective subcontractors. The procurement process for a single supplier to deliver a research and development contract to remove two defunct UK satellites from orbit is ongoing. Protecting the outer space environment is a priority for the government, so further funding opportunities for British companies to compete for grants will become available in due course.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in regard to the report Protecting What Matters, published on 9 March, how many times Ofcom have used powers to require companies to share information regarding their algorithms since the Online Safety Act 2023 came into force; what assessment they have made of the safety of those algorithms; and whether that assessment of safety includes impact on social cohesion.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Ofcom has various powers under the Online Safety Act to obtain information from services, including information regarding their algorithms. However, Ofcom does not publish, or provide to DSIT, details of how many information notices they have issued.

In March 2026, Ofcom updated on its work on safer feeds for children. To inform Ofcom’s assessment of these systems, it issued legally-binding information requests to large platforms and has said it will publicly report on the responses in May.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the UK Space Agency's brief to support the UK space industry will change after it has been absorbed into the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

From April 1^st 2026, the key responsibilities of the UK Space Agency will continue to include growing the UK’s space sector, working closely with industry and driving successes and opportunities.

This will be a key element of the overarching remit of the UK Space Agency to: Set the national direction on space including cohering policy, strategy and delivery across the whole of government, leading delivery of innovation and world class science programmes in partnership with the sector and international partners.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications for data protection and governance of the involvement of private technology companies in the handling of sensitive data held by public authorities and regulators; and what steps they are taking to ensure that appropriate safeguards relating to data protection, accountability and transparency are in place.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government is committed to ensuring that the involvement of private technology companies in the handling of sensitive data held by public authorities and regulators is subject to robust data protection, accountability, and transparency safeguards. All departments undertaking work involving personal data are required to conduct Data Protection Impact Assessments to ensure appropriate privacy, security, and fairness measures are in place. Where private‑sector tools, including algorithmic or AI‑enabled systems, are procured or used, departments must apply mandatory transparency standards and clearly document how such tools are embedded in decision‑making processes, their technical specifications, and relevant risk mitigations.

At a cross‑government level, the Government Digital Service (GDS), within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, is strengthening central coordination and oversight of data protection and privacy risks across government. This includes setting consistent standards, supporting departments on the responsible adoption of new technologies, and working closely with the Information Commissioner’s Office to raise data protection and information security standards across the public sector.

These measures are intended to ensure that the use of private technology companies supports innovation and improved public services, while maintaining high standards of data protection, accountability and public trust.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department considered alternative funding models for the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) reached the decision to cease Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM) operations following a rigorous value-for-money assessment. This included a review of historical and forecast demand for the aircraft, detailed analysis of operating costs, and an assessment of future operational risks.

Over the past year, and prior to the decision to cease funding, The National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) explored different operating models, including options to increase external income. However, forecast demand for the aircraft remained low. NERC and UKRI are aware that several organisations have expressed interest in purchasing the aircraft.

As NERC and UKRI progresses the sale of the airframe, they will undertake appropriate market assessment and engagement, in line with HM Treasury guidance, to ensure that its disposal achieves the best possible value for public money.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the data protection practices of overseas third-party age-verification providers operating under the Online Safety Act.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act impose obligations on data controllers – which include age verification services - to process data fairly, lawfully, and transparently. The UK’s data protection legislation provides for extraterritorial scope, which applies to organisations offering goods or services or monitoring the behaviour of data subjects within the UK.

The Information Commissioner’ Office can investigate any concerns raised about the misuse or mishandling of data.

Ofcom and the ICO recently issued a joint statement on age assurance to provide greater clarity on how services can meet their obligations under the OSA and UK data protection legislation.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 March (HL15443), what steps the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has taken in the last year to meet its legal duty to keep under review the question of when uncommenced legislation that falls within its area of responsibility should be brought into force.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology keeps the commencement and implementation of its legislation under review alongside operational readiness and delivery of wider priorities. This work is undertaken alongside established post‑legislative scrutiny processes.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made on the potential impact of changes in funding for the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements on (a) the UK’s weather, climate and air quality research capacity and (b) related skills pipeline.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), a part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), is reviewing the value for money of its infrastructure investments to ensure maximum impact for the UK and transition its atmospheric science infrastructure to more flexible, scalable and sustainable technologies. As part of this, NERC has decided to cease funding the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM) aircraft, which is operated by the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) at the end of this financial year, with orderly decommissioning taking place in FY 2026/27.

While there are some aspects of atmospheric science that can only be done with an aircraft, the future direction of atmospheric science increasingly favours distributed observing systems, land-based capability, uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), and advanced sensor technologies that offer lower emissions, greater responsiveness and improved cost‑effectiveness through scalability.

NERC and UKRI have already begun investing in these areas, including a Net Zero Aerial Capability scoping programme (in collaboration with Innovate UK) on UAV development, as well as committing additional investment to NCAS’ Atmospheric Measuring and Observation Facility (AMOF) equipment pools. NERC will also invest £1 million in Financial Year 2026/27 to further explore autonomous capabilities, with the intention of scaling successful approaches.

NERC is engaging closely with affected staff and institutions to retain expertise within the wider atmospheric science system (including weather, climate and air quality research) wherever possible. Much of the FAAM equipment will be repurposed and will continue to require skilled operators, helping to maintain capability and minimise impacts on the skills pipeline.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much funding they have allocated to the AI Skills Portal; how many users have registered and completed a course through the Portal; what proportion of users are from priority groups identified as digitally excluded in the Digital Inclusion Action Plan and Call for Evidence responses; and what evaluation metrics are used to assess value for money.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The AI Skills Hub contract has received £4 million to cover a range of activities, including: building and maintaining the Hub, engagement and research to inform course curation and approach, ongoing outreach to drive uptake, gather feedback for improvement, and support business upskilling and AI adoption. As of 19 March 2026, there were 55,952 registered learners on the AI Skills Hub. The AI Skills Hub also hosts the AI Skills Boost programme, which in total has delivered over 1 million AI Upskilling courses since June 2025 in partnership with leading industry organisations.

Value for money will be assessed through a comprehensive framework that tracks delivery, outcomes and long-term economic impact. This includes metrics on user engagement, platform usage and training uptake alongside survey-based evidence of improved skills, employability and access to AI resources. It also measures productivity gains such as cost savings, time efficiencies and increased AI adoption within organisations.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2026 to Question 120035 on Intellectual Property Office; Environmental Protection, what the (a) capital cost and (b) estimated annual energy savings are of (i) the installation of new energy efficient boilers in the Intellectual Property Office warehouse facility and (ii) the replacement of air conditioning units with more efficient units.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Both the gas boilers at the Intellectual Property Office warehouse facility and the air‑conditioning units had reached the end of their operational life and required replacement. They have been replaced with more energy‑efficient systems to improve performance and reduce energy consumption. Further detail on capital costs and estimated energy savings is commercially sensitive and cannot be provided.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help ensure reliable broadband services in hard to reach areas of Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Project Gigabit is the government’s programme to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to UK premises that are not included in suppliers' commercial plans.

As part of Project Gigabit, Openreach is delivering a contract to extend coverage to hard-to-reach areas of Surrey. This contract currently includes approximately 1,900 premises in the Surrey Heath constituency, of which almost 900 premises have already been given coverage.

We will aim to cover the remaining premises that are not currently included in Project Gigabit or suppliers’ commercial delivery plans as far as possible as funding becomes available, in line with the objective of achieving nationwide gigabit coverage by 2032.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government on what dates companies and individuals fully paid the fines levied by Ofcom during 2024 and 2025.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Ofcom imposed seven penalties in 2024 and 20 penalties in 2025. A breakdown is provided in Ofcom’s financial penalties publication (available here). https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/about-ofcom/annual-reports/2024-25/section-400-licence-fees-and-penalties-accounts-2024-2025.pdf?v=400015 Ofcom does not routinely publish information giving specific dates for when companies have paid their fines.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the average amount of time spent using a smartphone by (1) adults, and (2) children and young people under 18 years old, broken down by (a) day, (b) week, and (c) annual averages.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Ofcom data indicates that children aged 8-14 average 2 hours and 59 minutes online per day, between smartphones, tablets and computers. This equates to 20 hours and 53 minutes per week and 1088 hours and 55 minutes annually.

For adults, Ofcom found that the average daily smartphone time is 3 hours and 28 minutes. This is equivalent to 24 hours and 16 minutes per week, and 1265 hours and 20 minutes annually, on average.

The children’s measure will be an overestimate due to the inclusion of tablets and computers as well as smartphones, whereas the adult measure is smartphones only, but it is the most robust measure available.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the increasing deployment of generative AI systems in consumer-facing technologies such as voice assistants; and what steps they are taking to ensure that frameworks relating to data protection, consumer protection and product safety remain effective in the deployment of such technologies.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We are committed to ensuring the UK is the leading adopter of AI in the G7, empowering British workers and businesses to seize its benefits by creating more rewarding jobs, increasing productivity and driving growth in our leading sectors.

AI assurance enables consumers to be confident that the products they buy will work as intended, which is why the Government is taking steps to build the AI assurance ecosystem that underpins safe deployment of AI, as set out in the Roadmap to Trusted Third-Party AI Assurance. This includes establishing the Centre for AI Measurement, led by the National Physical Laboratory, to accelerate the development of new, innovative AI assurance techniques.

The law also requires that all consumer products must be safe before they are placed on the market. The Office for Product Safety and Standards and local authority trading standards have enforcement powers across product safety regulations to take non-compliant or unsafe products off the UK market. The product safety framework will better respond to emerging risks posed by digital technologies, including AI-enabled and smart products, ensuring innovation does not come at the expense of consumer safety.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to require platforms (1) to assess and mitigate the risks of hosting or organising illegal sexual harm communities, and (2) to respond promptly to credible notifications of such communities.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Online Safety Act requires user‑to‑user services to assess risks of different kinds of illegal harm on their platforms, including child sexual exploitation and abuse, grooming, intimate image abuse and extreme pornography, and to take proportionate steps to mitigate those risks, including where they are facilitated through groups.

Services must also have effective systems and processes to prevent, detect and act against illegal content and activity, both proactively and in response to notifications. Ofcom, as the independent regulator, sets out expected measures in statutory codes of practice, which came into force in July 2025, including on proactive technologies such as hash‑matching.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are seeking ethical approval for their pilot study on social media bans, time limits and curfews.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

DSIT sought academic advice in designing the pilot study. The Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Dame Angela McLean, convened a roundtable of senior academics, alongside Chief Scientific Advisers from FCDO, DfE and College of Policing.

This advice included consideration of sample size. The pilots, by design, form a social research, qualitative study which is thorough, but not statistically representative. With 300 interviews with teenagers, and their parents, from varied perspectives, we aim to gather first-hand insights into their experience of social media.

DSIT worked closely with our delivery partner, Savanta, to design the study to established ethical standards, including securing informed consent from participants, the right of withdrawal, appropriate safeguarding arrangements, and data protection and confidentiality measures throughout.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have sought academic advice on their pilot study on social media bans, time limits and curfews, including on the number of participants needed for meaningful results.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

DSIT sought academic advice in designing the pilot study. The Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Dame Angela McLean, convened a roundtable of senior academics, alongside Chief Scientific Advisers from FCDO, DfE and College of Policing.

This advice included consideration of sample size. The pilots, by design, form a social research, qualitative study which is thorough, but not statistically representative. With 300 interviews with teenagers, and their parents, from varied perspectives, we aim to gather first-hand insights into their experience of social media.

DSIT worked closely with our delivery partner, Savanta, to design the study to established ethical standards, including securing informed consent from participants, the right of withdrawal, appropriate safeguarding arrangements, and data protection and confidentiality measures throughout.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress has she made in accelerating the replacement of animals in science to phase out their use.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government has established governance arrangements for the Replacing Animals in Science Strategy, with the first Ministerial Board now convened to oversee delivery. We have announced £75 million to accelerate the development and adoption of alternative methods across the UK and are working with regulators and public bodies to determine how this funding will be allocated. A delivery update alongside KPIs will be published later in 2026. We also intend to publish areas of research interest for alternative methods later this year.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of data privacy regulations governing supermarket loyalty schemes.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

All organisations in the UK that process personal data, including supermarkets operating loyalty schemes, must comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. This legislation requires personal data to be processed lawfully, fairly and transparently, and secured by appropriate technical and organisational measures. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the UK’s independent regulator for data protection and is responsible for monitoring and enforcing this legislation. We recently strengthened their powers in the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 to help them investigate suspected breaches of the legislation.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Lloyd of Effra on 19 March (HL15262), which individuals attended the meeting of academic, researchers and other experts chaired by Dame Angela McLean in February to consider the objectives and methodologies for the pilots announced as part of the Growing up in the online world consultation.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Dame Angela McLean drew on expertise from inside and outside government to gather advice on how best to pilot policy options relating to young people’s use of social media.

Following standard procedure for a meeting of this kind, the names of the attendees will be published in due course by the Government Office for Science. This may be after the government responds to the consultation.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether a Data Protection Impact Assessment has been completed in relation to the UK Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

As DSIT is not a data controller or processor with respect to the UK digital verification services trust framework, we are not required to produce a data protection impact assessment, and have not done so. Instead, we require data controllers certified against the trust framework to complete a data protection impact assessment.

As required under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, we have consulted the ICO on each publication of the trust framework.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Home Secretary and the Justice Secretary on strengthening enforcement against online fraud, especially in relation to fraudulent advertising on social media platforms.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Ministers have regular meetings with Cabinet colleagues on a range of subjects including online fraud. The government is committed to a coordinated, cross-government approach to online fraud.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that adults who do not possess photo ID are able to verify their age online.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

In its guidance for services, Ofcom listed several kinds of age assurance in addition to photo-ID matching, including facial age estimation, open banking and digital identity services. These can be highly effective at determining whether or not a user is a child.

The Online Safety Act is clear that age assurance should work effectively for all users regardless of their characteristics or whether they are members of a certain group.

Ofcom are set to publish a report on the effectiveness of age assurance by July 2026, which will broaden our evidence base and inform any future policy options on this issue

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to publish a Data Protection Impact Assessment for GOV.UK One Login before 5 May 2026.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

We are preparing an easily digestible version of our Data Protection Impact Assessment for publication, which will be published later this year.

We continually develop our Data Protection Impact Assessment to take into account the new identity verification journeys, such as the no photo ID route. We have an obligation to let citizens know how we are processing their data, which we do via a privacy notice published on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has made an assessment of the timeline for autonomous systems to replicate the payload and operational capabilities of the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), with input from the scientific community, is prioritising a strategic transition to more sustainable, modern and flexible infrastructures. While there are some aspects of atmospheric science that can only be done with an aircraft, the future direction increasingly favours distributed observing systems, land-based capability, uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), and advanced sensor technologies. These technologies offer lower emissions, greater responsiveness and improved cost‑effectiveness through scalability.

NERC has already begun investing in these areas, including a Net Zero Aerial Capability scoping programme (in collaboration with Innovate UK) on UAV development, as well as committing additional investment to NCAS’ Atmospheric Measuring and Observation Facility (AMOF) equipment pools. NERC will also invest £1 million in Financial Year 2026/27 to further explore autonomous capabilities, with the intention of scaling successful approaches.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Competition and Markets Authority on the potential impact of software licensing practices on (a) Small to Medium Enterprises in Wales and (b) the Welsh economy.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government engages regularly with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on the effective operation of the UK’s competition framework, including how it supports competitive digital markets across all parts of the UK, including Wales.

While the CMA operates independently of Government in its investigations and decision making, the Government gave a clear steer for the CMA to use its new powers in digital markets collaboratively and proportionately.

In March, the CMA announced a package of actions to strengthen competition in business software and cloud services. This includes a Strategic Market Status investigation into Microsoft’s business software under the UK’s digital markets regime, alongside voluntary actions from Amazon and Microsoft in cloud services. These actions taken together will support SMEs and businesses in Wales and the rest of the UK by lowering barriers to competition, increasing choice and helping firms access digital tools on fairer terms.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the closure of the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements on the specialist skills base in atmospheric science in the United Kingdom.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

While the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) recognise that the retirement of the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM) is a significant decision for the atmospheric science community, this is not reflective of any decrease in the value of atmospheric science, and reflects a strategic shift to sustain UK leadership in this domain within a rapidly evolving technological landscape. The Government remains committed to maintaining world class capabilities in environmental science and ensuring that public investment is most effectively directed where it delivers the greatest long-term impact. UKRI is engaging closely with affected staff and institutions to manage the transition responsibly and to retain expertise within the wider atmospheric science system wherever possible.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how many hours on average (1) adults, and (2) children and young people under 18 years old, spend on (a) Facebook, (b) Instagram, (c) TikTok, and (d) snapchat, per (i) day, (ii) week, and (iii) year.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Children aged 8-14 spend 3 minutes a day on Facebook, 4 minutes on Instagram, 15 minutes on TikTok, and 45 minutes on Snapchat. This is an average of all children across the UK, based on Ofcom data.

Ofcom also indicates adults average 40 minutes a day on Facebook, 16 minutes on Instagram, 16 minutes on TikTok, and 6 minutes on Snapchat. This is an average across all UK adults.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of increased adoption of AI tools on employment levels in the banking sector; and what steps they are taking to support skills development and the long-term resilience of the financial services labour market.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government recognises that increased adoption of AI in financial services, including banking, has the potential to change the nature of some roles while supporting productivity growth, innovation and improved consumer outcomes. Financial services is already a leading adopter of AI in the UK and will play a key role in delivering the Government’s ambition to have the fastest AI adoption rate in the G7.

The Government is working closely with industry and regulators to better understand the implications of AI adoption, including for the workforce. To support skills development and long-term labour market resilience, we have commissioned work through the Financial Services Skills Commission on how the skills system can support effective adoption of AI and other disruptive technologies. This sits alongside the Government’s wider ambition to equip up to 10 million people with AI skills, helping workers adapt as roles evolve and ensuring the financial services labour market remains competitive and resilient.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks posed to AI infrastructure from the disruption to global supply of critical minerals, including helium, as a result of military operations in the Middle East.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

In a fast-evolving situation, Government is closely monitoring the potential impact of disruption to trade and supply chains on the UK economy and AI infrastructure. The UK is working closely with international partners to develop a viable plan to safeguard international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The Foreign Secretary issued an updated statement on this situation on April 8th.

A secure supply of critical minerals is vital for the UK's economic growth and security, industrial strategy, and clean energy transition. These risks strengthen the imperative of the UK Critical Minerals Strategy, with its key objectives of optimising domestic production while building resilient UK and global supply networks across critical minerals.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what process was followed that led to decision to cut funding for the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM).

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Following a review of value for money across its infrastructure investments, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), concluded that the Facility for Airbourne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM) aircraft no longer offers value for money due to significant rising operating and maintenance costs and limited planned usage. Only two research projects are currently scheduled to use the aircraft between 2027 and 2029, accounting for approximately 27% of the available flying hours.

NERC has engaged directly with the programme leads for the two projects affected, and is working to see how the aims of the research can be achieved through deployment of FAAM instrumentation from ground-based or other platforms, or through exploring alternative approaches with partners to achieve its goals, including the use of drones and other technologies.

Ceasing FAAM operations will also release over £32 million in savings across the Spending Review Period, with a further £5 million in costs. This funding will remain within UK environmental science, enabling reinvestment in more adaptable, scalable and lower-emission technologies that can support a broader range of researchers and applications.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of potential impact of science diplomacy in achieving UK technology sovereignty; and whether her Department intends to pursue shared leadership arrangements with international partners where appropriate.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Science diplomacy supports UK technology sovereignty by building international partnerships which strengthen our capabilities, resilience and security. This is underpinned by our Science & Technology Network covering 65 locations which strengthens UK growth, security and global influence.

DSIT regularly assesses the impacts of our international collaboration on our science and technology capability. For example, internationally coauthored UK papers consistently outperform UK only research on citation impact.

We have partnerships with a broad range of countries including the US and EU, Japan, India, South Korea, Switzerland, France and Germany. We are also active members of multilateral fora including OECD, G7 and G20.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the role of mobile digital infrastructure in supporting local economic growth, productivity and investment in planning policy in East Grinstead and Uckfield Constituency.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Digital infrastructure is a significant contributor to the UK economy, with the telecommunications services industry contributing around £37 billion in 2025 to the UK economy in “real” terms (1). It underpins growth across the wider economy, including by supporting the adoption of new and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence in all parts of the country.

We regularly engage other government departments, including with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), to underline the importance of digital infrastructure in unlocking economic growth and the role of the planning system in supporting network rollout. As part of this work, we launched a call for evidence, led jointly by DSIT and MHCLG, to assess whether existing permitted development rights should be expanded to better support digital infrastructure deployment. The call for evidence closed on Thursday, 26 February and subject to the evidence received, the Government will determine next steps, which may include consulting on proposed measures and, where appropriate, bringing forward legislation.

The ‘National Planning Policy Framework: proposed reforms and other changes’ consultation, led by MHCLG, closed on 10 March. MHCLG is responsible for planning regulations, including the National Planning Policy Framework, and we are continuing to engage with MHCLG to ensure that the importance of digital infrastructure is appropriately reflected in national and local planning policy.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the role of mobile digital infrastructure in supporting local economic growth, productivity and investment in planning policy in Sussex.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Digital infrastructure is a significant contributor to the UK economy, with the telecommunications services industry contributing around £37 billion in 2025 to the UK economy in “real” terms (1). It underpins growth across the wider economy, including by supporting the adoption of new and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence in all parts of the country.

We regularly engage other government departments, including with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), to underline the importance of digital infrastructure in unlocking economic growth and the role of the planning system in supporting network rollout. As part of this work, we launched a call for evidence, led jointly by DSIT and MHCLG, to assess whether existing permitted development rights should be expanded to better support digital infrastructure deployment. The call for evidence closed on Thursday, 26 February and subject to the evidence received, the Government will determine next steps, which may include consulting on proposed measures and, where appropriate, bringing forward legislation.

The ‘National Planning Policy Framework: proposed reforms and other changes’ consultation, led by MHCLG, closed on 10 March. MHCLG is responsible for planning regulations, including the National Planning Policy Framework, and we are continuing to engage with MHCLG to ensure that the importance of digital infrastructure is appropriately reflected in national and local planning policy.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she is considering using perceptual and cryptographic hash matching to prevent the spread of mis- and disinformation.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government is not considering hash matching to address the spread of mis- and disinformation. We recognise concerns and continue to explore options, but there is no single solution. Tackling such content requires a mix of regulation, law enforcement, education and technical solutions, balanced with freedom of expression – a fundamental right.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with regard to her Department's consultation entitled National Planning Policy Framework: proposed reforms and other changes to the planning system, what steps she is taking to ensure that the importance of digital infrastructure is recognised.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Digital infrastructure is a significant contributor to the UK economy, with the telecommunications services industry contributing around £37 billion in 2025 to the UK economy in “real” terms (1). It underpins growth across the wider economy, including by supporting the adoption of new and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence in all parts of the country.

We regularly engage other government departments, including with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), to underline the importance of digital infrastructure in unlocking economic growth and the role of the planning system in supporting network rollout. As part of this work, we launched a call for evidence, led jointly by DSIT and MHCLG, to assess whether existing permitted development rights should be expanded to better support digital infrastructure deployment. The call for evidence closed on Thursday, 26 February and subject to the evidence received, the Government will determine next steps, which may include consulting on proposed measures and, where appropriate, bringing forward legislation.

The ‘National Planning Policy Framework: proposed reforms and other changes’ consultation, led by MHCLG, closed on 10 March. MHCLG is responsible for planning regulations, including the National Planning Policy Framework, and we are continuing to engage with MHCLG to ensure that the importance of digital infrastructure is appropriately reflected in national and local planning policy.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the role of mobile digital infrastructure in supporting local economic growth, productivity and investment in planning policy.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Digital infrastructure is a significant contributor to the UK economy, with the telecommunications services industry contributing around £37 billion in 2025 to the UK economy in “real” terms (1). It underpins growth across the wider economy, including by supporting the adoption of new and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence in all parts of the country.

We regularly engage other government departments, including with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), to underline the importance of digital infrastructure in unlocking economic growth and the role of the planning system in supporting network rollout. As part of this work, we launched a call for evidence, led jointly by DSIT and MHCLG, to assess whether existing permitted development rights should be expanded to better support digital infrastructure deployment. The call for evidence closed on Thursday, 26 February and subject to the evidence received, the Government will determine next steps, which may include consulting on proposed measures and, where appropriate, bringing forward legislation.

The ‘National Planning Policy Framework: proposed reforms and other changes’ consultation, led by MHCLG, closed on 10 March. MHCLG is responsible for planning regulations, including the National Planning Policy Framework, and we are continuing to engage with MHCLG to ensure that the importance of digital infrastructure is appropriately reflected in national and local planning policy.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the use of biometric data by private contractors such as Yoti in publicly accessible digital identity systems on levels of public safety.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government considered the potential public safety implications of digital identity services, including the use of biometric data, when developing the Digital Verification Services (DVS) trust framework. The trust framework – developed by the Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA), a part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) - sets out requirements governing the provision of digital identity services.

The trust framework sets out rules covering roles, principles, policies, procedures and standards and legislation covering areas such as security, privacy, fraud prevention, governance and reliability. These requirements are intended to support safe and trustworthy provision of digital identity services.

Where a certified service uses biometric technologies, the trust framework includes specific requirements relating to the performance and security of those technologies. Providers are required to test biometric systems against recognised industry standards, to help ensure they are accurate, secure and inclusive.

The trust framework does not replace or supplement existing legal obligations relating to data protection. Service providers are required to comply with the data protection legislation when processing personal data.

Companies who wish to be included in the government’s online register of digital identity and attribute services must have their services independently audited and certified against the trust framework by accredited certification bodies. Yoti has services certified against the trust framework, and recorded on the online register. Certification does not constitute a government endorsement of any particular company or service. However, the trust framework and its certification regime help to provide assurance that certified services meet the government’s standards for security and reliability.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent steps she has taken to help improve public awareness of the risks associated with using unofficial third party websites for accessing government services.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The department continues to strengthen GOV.UK as the authoritative source of online government information and services.

This includes upholding its clear and consistent identity so that users recognise and trust official content, supporting efforts to counter scams and misinformation. DSIT additionally works with the National Cyber Security Centre, Action Fraud and search engine providers to find and remove misleading websites.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many civil servants in their Department were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Five or fewer* civil servants were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in 2024

Six civil servants were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in 2025.

*Volumes which are five or fewer have been redacted to avoid potential identification of individuals.

The figures above represent concluded conduct and discipline cases in which DSIT line managers formally engaged HR Casework Services (provided by MoJ). The figures do not include any cases that were concluded informally by DSIT line managers, without engaging the HR Casework Service.

Civil Servants are appointed on merit on the basis of fair and open competition and are expected to carry out their role with dedication and a commitment to the Civil Service and its core values: integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions his Department has had with internet search providers on preventing unofficial websites from presenting themselves as government service portals and charging inflated fees for services.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government Digital Service works with a number of external partners, including internet search providers, to help prevent unofficial websites from presenting themselves as government services and charging inflated fees. This includes identifying and removing misleading or imitation sites.

GDS also cooperates with organisations such as the National Cyber Security Centre and Action Fraud to support wider efforts to tackle online scams and misinformation. Responsibility for taking action against websites that imitate or unfairly charge for specific government services primarily sits with the department that owns the relevant service.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department is taking steps to help tackle loyalty penalties for phone and broadband customers.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

As regulator for telecoms, Ofcom has introduced a range of measures to improve transparency and consumer engagement in telecoms markets, including clearer end-of-contract notifications, new rules on in-contract price rises, and the One Touch Switching process to make switching broadband providers quicker and easier.

Ofcom’s 2026 pricing report shows that consumers who switch or renegotiate their contract typically pay less than those who remain out of contract, with over 2 million customers using One Touch Switching between September 2024 and the end of 2025. In addition, 26% of households switched at least one communications provider in the past year.

In February, the Government launched the Telecoms Consumer Charter, a public set of industry commitments that builds on Ofcom’s rules to ensure consumers get a fair deal.

Ofcom continues to monitor pricing practices and consumer outcomes closely and will take action where it identifies harm.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she has taken with Cabinet colleagues to (a) reduce the sale of counterfeit fashion goods and (b) improve coordination between enforcement agencies to tackle such activity.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

(a) The Government is reducing the sale of counterfeit fashion goods by supporting Police, Trading Standards and Border Force to take targeted enforcement action, disrupt online sales, seize counterfeit goods and use Proceeds of Crime Act powers to recover criminal profits, ensuring counterfeiting does not pay.

(b) Coordination is being strengthened through the IPO’s Counter-Infringement Strategy, the IPO-funded Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) and the national network of IP Crime Coordinators. This is supported by further partnership working with Trading Standards and Border Force, alongside improved intelligence-sharing, training and multi-agency operations to tackle organised counterfeit supply chains.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help support digital literacy in older people.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

We recognise that older people often have lower rates of digital literacy, which can put them at greater risk of digital exclusion.

The Government remains committed to supporting older people to develop the skills and confidence they need. Through the Government’s digital entitlement eligible adults, including older learners, can take part in fully funded courses and qualifications designed to build basic digital skills.

In addition, the Government’s £11.9 million Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund supports projects that directly help older people get online. This includes £289,247 of funding for the Age UK Digital Champion Programme, providing digital skills sessions and devices for older people.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when her (a) Ministers and (b) Officials last met with representatives from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to discuss using planning reform to boost mobile connectivity.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Responsibility for national planning policy in England, including permitted development rights, sits with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is responsible for digital infrastructure policy.

We engage regularly with MHCLG on the role of the planning system in supporting mobile connectivity. As part of this work, the government launched a call for evidence, led jointly by DSIT and MHCLG, to assess whether changes to existing permitted development rights could better support digital infrastructure deployment.

The call for evidence closed on Thursday, 26 February, and subject to the evidence received, the government will determine next steps, which may include consulting on proposed measures and, where appropriate, bringing forward legislation.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the use of planning reform to boost mobile connectivity is a formal responsibility of her Department.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Responsibility for national planning policy in England, including permitted development rights, sits with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is responsible for digital infrastructure policy.

We engage regularly with MHCLG on the role of the planning system in supporting mobile connectivity. As part of this work, the government launched a call for evidence, led jointly by DSIT and MHCLG, to assess whether changes to existing permitted development rights could better support digital infrastructure deployment.

The call for evidence closed on Thursday, 26 February, and subject to the evidence received, the government will determine next steps, which may include consulting on proposed measures and, where appropriate, bringing forward legislation.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Collection entitled Areas of Research interest of June 2017, whether there are plans to update the Government Office for Science's area of research interests.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government Office for Science does not publish its own Areas of Research Interests (ARIs). It instead provides advice and input to Departments, who are each responsible for developing and updating their own ARI. The latest version of each Department’s ARI is then made available on the gov.uk collection page.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the proposed transition from analogue to digital technologies, including the use of artificial intelligence in the NHS.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Digitising the NHS is a key priority set out in the Roadmap for a modern digital government, and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is working closely with the NHS to ensure milestones set out are delivered. This includes addressing cross-departmental risks and opportunities from digital technologies. Our departments also collaborate on the use of artificial intelligence in NHS on use cases including AI diagnostics, which reduce follow‑up CT scan waiting times, and NHS Ambient Voice, which allows clinicians to spend significantly more time with patients by automating note‑taking.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will meet with the PPA to discuss cookie exemptions for publishers.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The ICO will formally deliver their recommendations on exemptions to Government in the coming weeks. Following this, the government will continue to engage with the publishing and advertising sector to assess the evidence for new exemptions.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will take steps to increase the domestic production of silicon computer chips; and if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for national security of current levels of domestic computer chip production.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government recognises that computer chips are vital to our economy, critical sectors, and national security. However, the complexity and variety of semiconductors make it impossible for any one country to achieve supply chain autonomy.

Through the Industrial Strategy, we are taking targeted action to support the UK semiconductor sector where we have internationally recognised strengths to promote growth, enhance national security, and strengthen supply chain resilience.

Given the global nature of supply chains, the UK works closely with international partners, both bilaterally and through multilateral fora, to ensure the UK has access to the critical chips it requires.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the prevalence of third party websites charging for government services that are otherwise free or low cost.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

While the department has not made a formal assessment of the prevalence of third‑party websites that charge for government services which are otherwise free or low cost, it is reducing their impact through prevention, enhancing awareness and collaborating with partners.

This includes strengthening GOV.UK as a trusted and recognisable brand to help users identify official government services, and working with the National Cyber Security Centre, Action Fraud and search engine providers to find and remove misleading websites.

Responsibility for taking action against imitation websites relating to specific services primarily sits with the department that owns the service concerned.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made in positioning the UK as a global leader in alternative methods.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government is positioning the UK as a global leader in alternative methods by strengthening regulatory confidence through MHRA reform and investing in validation infrastructure and skills, supporting UK leadership by setting international benchmarks for how alternative methods are developed, assessed and adopted.

As part of this, we are scoping opportunities for international engagement at both multilateral and bilateral level, including plans to bring together international regulators to discuss the expansion of existing partnerships, the establishment of new partnerships, and priorities of mutual importance.

The Government will publish a delivery update later in 2026, alongside a set of key performance indicators covering all elements of the strategy.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the accessibility of the consultation entitled Growing up in the online world: a national consultation, published on 2 March 2026, for people (a) without technical expertise and (b) with limited time.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government is committed to ensuring that as many parents and young people as possible can take part in Growing up in the online world: a national consultation.

The government has produced tailored and more accessible versions of the consultation for parents/carers and children, designed to be easier to complete and navigate, with over 45,000 responses so far.

Through ongoing engagement on the National Conversation, ministers and officials will continue to host bespoke engagement reaching hundreds of civil society organisations, industry representatives, schools and community groups right across the United Kingdom, focusing on voices which are seldom heard and hard to reach.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the survey for children and young people as part of the consultation entitled Growing up in the online world: a national consultation, published on 2 March 2026.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government is committed to ensuring that as many parents and young people as possible can take part in Growing up in the online world: a national consultation.

The government has produced tailored and more accessible versions of the consultation for parents/carers and children, designed to be easier to complete and navigate, with over 45,000 responses so far.

Through ongoing engagement on the National Conversation, ministers and officials will continue to host bespoke engagement reaching hundreds of civil society organisations, industry representatives, schools and community groups right across the United Kingdom, focusing on voices which are seldom heard and hard to reach.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the stakeholder engagement underpinning the consultation entitled Growing up in the online world: a national consultation, published on 2 March 2026; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) clinicians, (b) police officers and (c) social workers are included.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Alongside the consultation, the Government launched a National Conversation to support broad and accessible engagement across the UK, including through schools, community settings and civil society organisations, ensuring a wide range of perspectives inform policymaking.

The Department is engaging clinicians, police officers and social workers through existing networks, representative bodies and cross‑government channels, including organisations such as the British Association of Social Workers, and encouraging contributions to the consultation.

These views will be considered alongside insights from an expert panel of academics, to help the department understand the information from the consultation in the context of the evolving evidence base.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how responses to the consultation entitled Growing up in the online world: a national consultation, published on 2 March 2026, will inform policymaking on this topic; and how those responses will be considered alongside the findings of the expert panel convened as part of the same process.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Alongside the consultation, the Government launched a National Conversation to support broad and accessible engagement across the UK, including through schools, community settings and civil society organisations, ensuring a wide range of perspectives inform policymaking.

The Department is engaging clinicians, police officers and social workers through existing networks, representative bodies and cross‑government channels, including organisations such as the British Association of Social Workers, and encouraging contributions to the consultation.

These views will be considered alongside insights from an expert panel of academics, to help the department understand the information from the consultation in the context of the evolving evidence base.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her data protection polices of the enforcement action taken by the Agencia Española de Protección de Datos against Yoti in March 2026.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Organisations such as Yoti that process biometric data of UK users, through the provision of digital verification and age assurance services, have to comply with the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). As such, the processing must be fair, lawful, transparent and secure. Organisations must have a lawful basis for the processing of personal data under Article 6 of the UK GDPR. For processing of biometric and other sensitive data, they must also have a specific Article 9 condition, such as a user’s explicit consent.

DSIT monitor developments in this space and supports the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in providing guidance to organisations to help their compliance. The ICO, working with Ofcom, has recently published guidance on age assurance and is engaging with the age assurance industry through a programme of risk reviews.

The ICO can take enforcement action against those organisations that have breached the UK’s data protection legislation.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department plans to take steps to accelerate the process for implementing the new duties on fraudulent advertising contained in the Online Safety Act.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Under the Online Safety Act, services designated as Category 1 and 2A (large user-to-user and large search services respectively) will have additional duties to tackle paid-for fraudulent advertising.

Categorisation of online services is a statutory duty for Ofcom and one that is important to get right. Ofcom’s assessment process is still ongoing, and the regulator aims to publish its register and consult on the additional duties – including on fraudulent advertising – in summer 2026. The Secretary of State wrote to Ofcom in October and November last year urging the independent regulator to look at where its categorisation process could be expedited.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she plans to take to hold technology companies accountable for fraud occurring on their platforms.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Online Safety Act lists fraud as a priority offence, meaning that in-scope services must now prevent and minimise user-generated fraud content from appearing on their platforms and swiftly remove it if it does. User-to-user services must also manage the risk of being used to facilitate priority offences, including fraud.

Services designated by Ofcom as Category 1 and 2A (large user-to-user and large search services respectively) will have additional duties to tackle paid-for fraudulent advertising. Ofcom aims to publish its categorisation register, and to consult on the additional duties for categorised services – including on fraudulent advertising - around July 2026.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what procedures are in place to respond to and safeguard any children making serious disclosures within the Growing Up in the Online World consultation.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

It is vital that any serious disclosures to the Growing Up in the Online World consultation are treated with care.

The provider of the children's survey has trained staff which routinely screen responses for safeguarding risks, including references to abuse, harm, or immediate danger. Where the provider of the children’s consultation receives an identifiable response from a child at risk of significant harm, this is referred to the relevant authority, including emergency services or local children’s social services if required, in accordance with statutory safeguarding responsibilities.

For anonymous disclosures, the incident is securely recorded and escalated to the organisation’s safeguarding lead. In line with NSPCC guidance, the safeguarding lead reviews the circumstances and may contact the NSPCC Helpline.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of social media content moderation practices, including shadow banning, on the visibility of women’s health information online; and what steps she is taking alongside the Department for Health and Social Care to ensure that such practices do not restrict access to legitimate health information while maintaining protections against harmful content.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Online Safety Act does not prevent adults or children from accessing legal content about women’s health. Safeguards for freedom of expression have been built in throughout the framework of the Act, which places duties on platforms to protect users’ rights to freedom of expression when introducing safety measures.

The largest services regulated by the Act will have additional duties meaning they cannot arbitrarily remove content, and they will need to be clear what legal content is acceptable on their services and enforce the rules consistently for their adult users. Users will have access to effective complaints procedures to appeal when content is unduly taken down.

Found: Kanishka Narayan MP Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

Found: entire Scottish TV production ecosystem.20 13 Ofcom, Barriers to Household Connectivity, 2025. 14 DSIT

Found: Written evidence submitted by DSIT (CISDC0025) To support the Scottish Affairs Committee in conducting

Found: API calls and 15 Million users* - a landmark month for open banking in the UK - Open Banking 11 DSIT

Found: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 22-26 Whitehall London, SW1A 2EG www.gov.uk/dsit

Found: lack clarity about which AI-related skills are required and therefore delay workforce investment (DSIT

Found: Q1 Chair: We are joined by Minister Narayan, the Minister for AI and Online Safety at DSIT, and Ms Rowland

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 122166, which groups her Department engaged to understand what capability is available to maintain high standards of security and integrity.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Externally, prior to live procurement, the Home Office English Language Testing (HOELT) Programme conducted five rounds of market engagement. This included industry experts and market leaders.

The programme has also engaged with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) Commercial Innovation Hub, including the Government Digital Service in addition to Home Office Digital (HOD) who are fully embedded in the programme, supported by specialist managed services covering technical architecture, service design, cyber security, testing, and AI assurance.

Found: DSIT 0-1 year Action 117: we will collaborate with our international partners to support women’s

Found: DSIT 0-1 year Action 117: we will collaborate with our international partners to support women’s

Found: Chief Operating Officer Chief Operating Officer Department for Science, Innovation and Technology DSIT

Found: Department for Science Innovation and Technology

Found: TechnologyUK Research & InnovationOther central government300000 - 304999Appointed by Secretary of State for DSIT

Found: The Inquiry heard from Ms Sarah Connolly of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT

Found: Inspector DfE Department for Education DHSC Department of Health and Social Care DS Detective Sergeant DSIT

Found: Social Care; UKISF = UK Integrated Security Fund; DESNZ = Department for Energy Security & Net Zero; DSIT

Found: OUTCOME 1 (CO) A real-time integrated Biothreats Radar assured by experts OUTCOME 5 (DSIT) The UK is

Found: on algorithmic transparency commissioned by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT

Found: April 2026, the UK Space Agency merged into the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT