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 improve the quality of 5G available on rail networks.

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

Our ambition is for all populated areas to have higher quality standalone 5G by 2030. As part of the Government’s Mobile Market Review Call for Evidence, launched on 10 February 2026, we are asking for detailed evidence on how government should think about, and define, ‘good’ mobile coverage in relation to the quality of service provided to consumers, businesses and the public sector.

In the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy (June 2025), the Government committed to work with Ofcom and other regulators to assess the telecommunications needs of the transport sector, including rail networks, by December 2026. My officials are undertaking this assessment alongside the Department for Transport, the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, and Ofcom, the regulator for telecommunications.

The Department for Transport has secured funding to introduce low-Earth-orbit satellite connectivity on all mainline trains, which will significantly improve both the availability and internet data connection speeds for Wi-Fi connected passengers.

My officials are also working with Ofcom to improve the evidence base on mobile connectivity across the rail network, as recommended by the Public Accounts Committee.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has considered introducing minimum quality standards for 5G coverage from mobile providers.

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

The Government’s ambition is for all populated areas of the UK to have access to higher quality standalone 5G by 2030, and we are committed to working with industry to support the rollout of standalone 5G across the UK.

The Government is undertaking a Mobile Market Review to assess the impact of technological, structural and financial market developments on investment in comprehensive high-quality mobile connectivity. On 10 February 2026, Government published a Call for Evidence to support this assessment, and all stakeholders are encouraged to engage in this process ahead of it closing on 21 April 2026.

As part of the Call for Evidence, we are asking for detailed evidence on how the Government should think about, and define, ‘good’ mobile coverage in relation to the quality of service provided to consumers, businesses and the public sector. We are also looking to understand if there is evidence to suggest that the Government’s standalone 5G coverage ambition should go further.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what measures her Department is taking to support women working in UK science technology, engineering and mathematic sectors.

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

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology recognises the importance of supporting women working in the UK science, technology, engineering and mathematic sectors.

In December 2025, DSIT launched the Women in Tech Taskforce to address the systemic barriers that prevent women from entering, progressing, and leading in the tech sector. In March 2026 DSIT launched a package to get more women into tech, including 300 paid tech placements and support for those returning after a career break. DSIT also announced a TechFirst Girls Competitition and the Women in Tech Taskforce launched a call for evidence on building a more diverse tech sector.

This is on top of major programmes that DSIT supports such as the £187 million TechFirst initiative to support entry into the sector, the CyberFirst Girls annual tech competition, and Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation programme.

Alongside this, DSIT and UKRI are working to improve retention and career outcomes for women in research. On 11^th March, DSIT Secretary of State called on research institutions and funders to do more to support women in research and back a voluntary charter to raise standards and drive culture change. The charter, which will be shaped with employers and funders of researchers, will set a firm expectation that all PhD funders commit to meeting or exceeding UK Research and Innovation’s parental leave offer for doctoral students. It will also agree clear, tangible commitments on other issues like support for those returning to work with caring responsibilities, greater job flexibility and addressing sexual discrimination and harassment.

DSIT have also doubled the government’s support for the Daphne Jackson Trust, who support researchers who have taken a career break, to £4m per year.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce statutory transparency obligations requiring AI developers to maintain and disclose records of copyright works used in training models; and if so, whether those obligations are being considered independently of any copyright exemption.

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

The government will publish a report on the use of copyright works in the development of AI systems by 18 March. This report will consider the policy options set out in the government’s consultation on copyright and AI, set out the evidence and views we have gathered and outline our next steps in areas such as transparency.

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 improvements in physics education on the development of new technologies and economic growth.

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

Physics education is the responsibility of the Department for Education.

The government recognises the importance of research, including physics, to economic growth and its contribution to the UK’s innovation capacity and industrial strategy.

This academic year, two thirds of the £1.3bn Strategic Priorities Grant to HE is to support the provision of high-cost subjects, including physics. From this, the Office for Students allocates £1,737 per student FTE to providers for physics students.

42% of UK Research and Innovation funded PhDs in 2024/25 were through the Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. UKRI will invest over £2bn in doctoral training this spending review period.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the contribution of international cooperation to the delivery of the UK's AI strategy; and what steps they are taking to strengthen bilateral and multilateral partnerships to promote responsible AI development and economic competitiveness.

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

International collaboration is vital to ensure the UK can unlock AI’s full potential.

The UK has sought to be a global leader in AI, developing our bilateral and multilateral partnerships to ensure effective collaboration towards safe, secure and responsible AI, and deliver on the AI Opportunities Action Plan.

We work bilaterally to advance UK interests and support economic growth, ranging from bilateral AI and compute partnerships with countries including Canada, France and the Netherlands, funding UK involvement in the multilateral EuroHPC Joint Undertaking and signing the U.S.-UK Technology Prosperity Deal in September 2025. We are also leading contributors to multilateral fora, including the AI Summit series initiated by the UK at Bletchley Park in November 2023. The most recent summit took place in India, and the Deputy Prime Minister led the UK delegation. The UK is secretariat to the International AI Safety Report – the world’s first comprehensive synthesis of evidence on advanced AI risks and capabilities, which is an important foundation for international collaboration. We are also shaping the global conversation on AI at the UN, OECD, G7 and G20.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what economic impact assessment they have undertaken, or commissioned, regarding the effect of a copyright exemption for AI training on (1) the creative industries, (2) licensing markets for training data, and (3) investment in AI development in the UK.

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

The government will publish an economic impact assessment by 18 March, as per Section 135 of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.

This will assess the impact of each of the policy options described in the consultation on copyright and AI, on copyright owners, and persons who develop or use AI systems.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will hold discussions with (a) Starlink and (b) O2 on data protection.

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

All organisations providing services in the UK must comply with the UK’s data protection legislation, which is enforced independently of Government by the Information Commissioner.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of international approaches to copyright and AI training, including in the European Union and United States of America; and whether they have made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to UK copyright law on the UK's competitive position in AI and the creative industries.

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

The government has engaged bilaterally with many jurisdictions, such as the EU and the US, to discuss approaches to copyright and AI policy, share best practice and consider technical issues.

The government continues to seek views on how best to meet the UK’s objectives on AI and copyright, from stakeholders and experts, including through the technical working groups and Parliamentary working groups.

The government will publish a report on the use of copyright works in the development of AI systems by 18 March. This will set out the evidence and views we have gathered and outline our next steps.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 28 January 2026, to Question 107044, on Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Remote Working, for what reason the department does not follow the standard Civil Service 60% office attendance policy.

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

DSIT’s office attendance (Hybrid Working) policy allows some flexibility for minimum office attendance to reflect the capacity of the office estate. As such DSIT requires employees to spend between a minimum of 40% and 60% of their weekly working hours in the office or other official work location, and with Senior Civil Servants and Fast Stream employees expected to do so at the upper end of this range.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential contribution of AI to productivity growth in the UK, particularly in professional services; and what steps they are taking to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises are able to adopt AI tools to increase productivity.

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

The Government recognises the significant role that digital and information technologies play in driving productivity growth across the UK economy. OECD analysis indicates that widespread AI adoption could raise UK productivity by 0.4–1.3 percentage points annually, potentially adding £55–140 billion in GVA by 2030.

The Government is committed to realising these benefits, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Shaheen Sayed, Chief Commercial Officer at Accenture has been appointed as the Professional Business Services (PBS) AI Champion. She will serve as a strategic link between industry and government, with a key objective to encourage PBS SMEs to adopt AI and digital technologies as a key enabler to growth and improved productivity. We are also working directly with industry on our ambitious commitment to upskill 10 million workers with essential AI skills for work through our AI Skills Boost programme.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are considering introducing a copyright exemption for commercial research, science and research or equivalent activities to permit the use of copyright works for artificial intelligence research and development without the consent of rightsholders; and if so, whether they will publish the scope of that exemption.

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

The government will publish a report on the use of copyright works in the development of AI systems by 18 March. This report will consider the policy options set out in the government’s consultation on copyright and AI, set out the evidence and views we have gathered and outline our next steps.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what proportion of UKRI and other research council funding was spent on (a) dementia, (b) cancer, (c) stroke and (d) coronary heart disease research in each year between 2019 and 2025.

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

The Medical Research Council (MRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), supports world‑leading research to accelerate diagnosis, develop treatments and prevent disease.

Details of funding from MRC, as well as other research councils within UKRI, on specific areas is provided in the table below:

*'Rest of UKRI' spend figure for 2019/20 is unavailable. For 2024/25, ‘Rest of UKRI’ figure does not include funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, (i) if she is aware of the issues that some residents have encountered in creating a GOV.UK One Login, and (ii) what steps she is taking to improve the process of doing so.

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

GOV.UK One Login is committed to making identity verification simple, inclusive and secure, enabling people to access government services while protecting them and the Government from fraud. While we expect GOV.UK One Login to become the primary method for accessing online government services, departments will continue to provide offline alternatives for those who prefer or are unable to use digital channels.

While most users successfully prove their identity, we recognise that some experience difficulties. The service is used by millions, and we continually monitor feedback, complaints and performance data to identify issues and drive improvements.

We are enhancing guidance, refining the user journey and introducing new identity verification routes to meet different user needs. Support is available through our contact centre and technical service desk for users who require assistance.

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 GOV.UK AI assistant pilot developed with Anthropic on (a) user satisfaction, (b) call centre volumes, and (c) accuracy of information provided to citizens.

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

The pilot of the GOV.UK AI assistant is currently being undertaken by GDS and will be concluding soon. We will then evaluate the concept to inform future development of the concept.

At this stage, the pilot is about learning and understanding the potential value of the technology for citizens in helping them get through complex life events. We will be considering accuracy and value as part of the final reporting on this pilot.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what total value of AI-related contracts has been awarded by all Government departments since July 2024; and what proportion has gone to (a) UK-headquartered firms and (b) firms headquartered outside the UK.

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

Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder).

Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,000 inc VAT are published on the Central Digital Platform Find a Tender service. This includes a note of the winning supplier. (https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Search).

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress she has made in developing photonic computing.

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

DSIT are funding an Innovation and Knowledge Centre led by the University of Southampton’s world leading silicon photonics research foundry, Cornerstone. This centre is focused on translating silicon photonics technologies from research to industry, including photonic integrated circuits that are essential for optical computing.

In parallel, the UK’s National Quantum Computing Mission aims to build scalable quantum computers. We have already announced over £1bn of funding for the quantum technologies sector – which includes over £500m specifically around the development of quantum computing of which photonic approaches are an integral part. Details of key milestones and funding programmes under this investment will be published soon.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to page 92 of the Strategic Defence Review, how many meetings officials from their Department have attended on the national conversation on defence and security; which directorate in their Department is responsible for the departmental contribution to that national conversation; and what the job title is of the official responsible.

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

Officials from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology regularly attend meetings to discuss matters of national security, defence and resilience as well as the associated public communications required to deliver these lines of efforts. The conversation on National Defence was a recommendation in the 2025 Strategic Defence Review (SDR), which the Government accepted. The Ministry of Defence is the lead department for delivering the SDR, with support from the Cabinet Office, and particularly from the National Security Secretariat.

As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, the national conversation will be a multi-year, cross-departmental effort designed to deliver on the whole-of-society approach to national security and defence allowing Government, the private sector and public to play their part in strengthening the UK’s resilience to any potential future shocks. This work addresses the risks and threats the UK faces, including those below and above the threshold of an armed attack.

DSIT is actively supporting this work.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of expanding the Boulby Underground Laboratory to host the XLZD experiment on the economy in (a) Yorkshire and (b) the North East.

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

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has not made a specific assessment of the potential economic impact of expanding the Boulby Underground Laboratory to host the XLZD experiment on the economies of Yorkshire or the North East.

The Department recognises the role of Boulby Underground Laboratory as the UK’s deep underground science facility, and the contribution it makes to the local area. STFC have invested over £30 million in the laboratory and the research taking place there over the last ten years alone.

All investments are based on an analysis of scientific and economic impact, as well as wider portfolio balance. Broader UKRI investment decisions will be announced in due course.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of creating a UK Government cloud computing system independent from technology multinationals' services.

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

The Government recognises the importance of a secure and resilient cloud infrastructure for the delivery of digital public services. As set out in the Roadmap for Modern Digital Government (2026), the government is developing a National Cloud Strategy. As part of this, the government will assess how to strengthen the security and resilience of UK cloud infrastructure and improve the cloud ecosystem.

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 funding for physics research.

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

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has committed to a record £58.5 billion investment in R&D over the next 4 years. Of this, UKRI will deliver £38.6 billion towards research and innovation with £14.5 billion allocated towards curiosity-driven research, in recognition of its fundamental importance for our future. DSIT and UKRI are also significantly increasing investment in areas underpinned by physics such as AI, quantum, semiconductors, cybersecurity and advanced connectivity technologies. The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) also provides funding for physics research, and has a £1.2 billion allocation for applicant led research over the SR.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) within UKRI is currently working with the sector to model different spending scenarios for its portfolio in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics (PPAN). The impacts of different modelled scenarios will be considered alongside feedback from the sector when taking final decisions. No final spending decisions have been made.

The UK also remains committed to international physics collaboration, including at CERN, where we are the second-largest contributor.

More generally, DSIT has asked UKRI to ensure that its allocation decisions, including those on individual physics programmes, are informed by meaningful consultation with the scientific research community and a robust assessment of potential consequences for the UK’s scientific capability and international standing.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 11 February 2026, to Question 110421, on Ofcom: Public Appointments, for what reason the application deadline was extended, and whether this was approved by Ministers.

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

The window for applications was extended to ensure that the competition attracted a strong and diverse field of candidates and to maximise the number of high‑quality applications for the role. This decision was taken in consultation with Ministers.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to accelearate the rollout of standalone 5G to a) urban and b) rural areas in the UK.

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

The Government’s ambition is for all populated areas of the UK to have access to higher quality standalone 5G by 2030. Our ambition goes further than just the largest towns and cities and includes many rural areas across the UK. Delivery of this ambition is commercially led by the three mobile network operators (MNOs).

The network operators have committed significant investment which aligns with Government’s ambition and we are working with MNOs to ensure that this investment translates into benefits for communities right across the UK.

Significant progress has already been made with Ofcom reporting in their Connected Nations Report 2025 that standalone 5G is now available outside of 83% of premises across the UK, but we know there is more to do in some areas.

Government is undertaking a Mobile Market Review to assess the impact of technological, structural and financial market developments on investment in comprehensive high-quality mobile connectivity across the UK.

In parallel we are working to identify and address barriers to deployment of mobile infrastructure. This includes publishing a call for evidence to help determine where planning rules could be relaxed to support the deployment of mobile infrastructure, which closed on 26, February. We are now reviewing the evidence gathered which will inform our next steps.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether address‑level coverage data will be published for the rollout of Project Gigabit Type C contracts in Caerfyrddin.

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

Building Digital UK publishes data providing premises-level information on the premises included in Project Gigabit contracts every four months. Approximately 5,600 premises in the Caerfyrddin constituency are currently included in the scope of Project Gigabit contracts being delivered by Openreach. These contracts are expected to complete by 2030.

On 13 March, we also launched the gigabit broadband availability checker on GOV.UK, which allows residents and businesses in England and Wales to see whether gigabit-capable broadband is available at, or planned for, their address, including through Project Gigabit.

While this data provides transparency on which premises are included in subsidised plans, Project Gigabit suppliers are responsible for determining local delivery schedules. Communities are therefore encouraged to register their details with suppliers to receive the latest updates as build progresses.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of alternate infrastructure to replace copper wire ADSL systems.

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

ADSL relies on the copper based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The PSTN is increasingly unreliable and prone to failure. In 2024/25 there were over 2,600 major incidents on the PSTN, each affecting 500 or more customers. This is why industry have taken the decision to upgrade to fibre-based Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

VoIP technology is more resilient, more secure, enables better quality phone calls, and can be used to block scam calls. Fibre cables are less prone to damage during severe weather events, have a 50% lower fault rate than copper, and are more energy efficient. Fibre based digital infrastructure offers customers significantly faster speeds than copper-based ADSL.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress has been made implementing the recommendations of the State of Digital Government Review since its publication in January 2025.

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

Since January 2025, the Government has united digital, data, and AI teams into one centre to tackle identified systemic blockers to transformation. Government has also launched the GOV.UK app, the digital HM Armed Forces Veteran Card, and 13.2 million people have now proven their identity using the single sign-on system OneLogin.

In January 2026, the Government published ‘A Roadmap for Modern Digital Government’, its plan to make government more user-focused, efficient and resilient to deliver better outcomes for the public and the economy. It provides a public-facing, whole-of-government commitment to digital transformation and holds departments accountable for progress, updates on which will be regularly published.

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 contribution of international postgraduate researchers to the UK’s scientific output.

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

The UK is committed to attracting international postgraduate research (PGR) students as part of our ambition to attract the best research talent across the research pipeline. International PGRs make significant contributions to the UK’s research strength and scientific output. In 2024/25, 42% of the UK’s 120,000 postgraduate research students were non‑UK; 58% in Engineering and Technology; and 79% in research‑intensive universities, where scientific output is highest (HESA). International PGRs contribute to the over two hundred thousand research articles from the UK each year, placing the UK globally in first position on Field Weighted Citation Impact among comparator countries since 2007 (GOV.UK).

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for the life sciences sector.

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

The Life Sciences Sector Plan, published in July 2025, launched a ten year programme to cement the UK’s position as a global life sciences leader. The Secretary of State is in regular contact with Cabinet colleagues, and we have strengthened the Office for Life Sciences as a trilateral unit across DSIT, DHSC and DBT, bringing together health, industrial strategy and innovation, and appointed an Executive Chair, Steve Bates, to provide leadership and accountability.

This collaborative approach is delivering, with the UK securing multibillion pound private investment, building new research infrastructure, scaling manufacturing, streamlining regulation, strengthening clinical trials and driving medical breakthroughs.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the reports required under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 will examine an expansion of the existing text and data mining exemption to cover commercial uses; and whether the introduction of such an expansion is their current policy.

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

The government will publish a report on the use of copyright works in the development of AI systems by 18 March. The report will consider the policy options set out in the government’s consultation on copyright and AI, set out the evidence and views we gathered and outline our next steps.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has issued guidance to public office holders on taking steps to help prevent the hacking of social media accounts.

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

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has not issued specific guidance on this topic and directs all social media users to the guidance on using social media safely available online from the National Cyber Security Centre.

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 the potential benefits of making digital watermarking of AI mandatory.

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

The government continues to explore the feasibility of technical solutions for the labelling of AI-generated content to support transparency, such as through the Deepfake Detection Challenge.

AI is a general-purpose technology with a wide range of applications, which is why the government believes that most AI systems should be regulated at the point of use. In response to the AI Action Plan, the government committed to work with regulators to boost their capabilities. The government has been clear that we will legislate where needed, but we will do so on the basis of evidence where any serious gaps are.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many of the AI-related (a) Memorandums of Understanding and (b) service agreements signed by her Department since July 2024 are with UK-headquartered companies; and what steps she is taking to ensure UK-based AI firms have equitable access to Government procurement.

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

The UK Government has signed AI-related Memorandums of Understanding with OpenAI, Google DeepMind, NVIDIA, Cohere and Anthropic. All of these firms have significant office presence or headquarters in the UK, and many are expanding here. For example, in February 2025 OpenAI announced it is significantly expanding its presence in London, establishing the city as its largest research hub outside the United States. Google DeepMind is also opening its first automated research lab in the UK this year.

To ensure UK-based AI firms have equitable access to government procurement, DSIT has developed an AI Commercial Strategy. This provides a clear model for sourcing AI solutions, enabling government teams to select the most effective route for each need, while using mechanisms that encourage experimentation and support UK SMEs and startups.

Our Incubator for AI is also working across government to explore how AI can transform public services. Starting with planning and education, these projects combine political backing, government AI engineering capability, the agility of DSIT's commercial innovation hub, and departmental expertise to bring frontier AI into government and redesign services around citizens' needs.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether specific, measurable deliverables have been agreed with (a) Anthropic, (b) OpenAI and (c) Google DeepMind under the Memoranda of Understanding signed since February 2025.

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

The Government has signed Memoranda of Understanding with these companies to support industry cooperation. You can read the full details of these agreements on the GOV.UK website for each company: Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google DeepMind.

The Government is already working with these firms to deliver on UK objectives. For example, Anthropic are developing an AI assistant to transform GOV.UK services, and OpenAI are collaborating with the Ministry of Justice to support businesses with AI innovation.

Our AI Security Institute also collaborates closely with these companies to research the serious risks that advanced AI could pose. Through this collaboration, the Institute helps to identify vulnerabilities in developers' models; both OpenAI and Anthropic have addressed dozens of such issues before releasing their models.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many meetings Ministers and senior officials have held with representatives of (a) Anthropic, (b) OpenAI, (c) Google, (d) Microsoft, (e) Meta and (f) Palantir since July 2024.

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

The full details of Ministerial and senior civil servant-level meetings will be published publicly in quarterly transparency returns.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much Innovate UK funding has been awarded to organisations based in Bradford in each of the last three financial years.

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

Innovate UK’s grant funding database shows that during the most recent three full financial years, Innovate UK offered £4.97 million in grant awards to organisations registered in the Bradford local authority area. This is broken down by financial year as follows:

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential labour market impacts of AI-related displacement of staff; what consideration they have given to transitional income support or retraining mechanisms to assist affected workers; and what assessment they have made of the fiscal and productivity impacts of those measures.

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

The Government recognises that AI is transforming workplaces, demanding new skills and augmenting existing roles. We have launched the AI and the Future of Work Unit - a cross‑government function to research and monitor AI’s economic and labour market impacts and provide timely advice on when new policies should be implemented. We published an initial assessment of AI impacts on the labour markets in January 2026 and are preparing for a range of possible futures to ensure positive outcomes for the economy, jobs, and workers.

We are also acting now to upskill 10 million workers in AI skills by 2030 through the AI Skills Boost programme, which aims to build a digitally skilled workforce to support long-term economic growth, drive innovation and expand individual

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill (Network and Information Systems) Bill, a) what estimate she had made of the shortage of the cybersecurity skills which will be necessary to implement and comply with the new regulations created by the Bill and b) what steps the department is taking to address skills gaps.

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

The Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill was introduced in November 2025 to increase UK defences against cyber attacks. The Bill has been developed in close collaboration with regulators to ensure that they have the right information and tools they need to be supported and effective under the new framework.

This includes allowing regulators to recover all the costs of their activities under the regime so that they can be sufficiently resourced, enhancing their impact through clearer information gateways, and establishing a unified set of objectives so that regulators can better focus their resources. DSIT will also issue clear guidance to support regulators as they exercise their functions and will monitor and evaluate the new framework following its implementation to review the effectiveness of the regime, which could include regulator capability.

New regulated entities being brought into scope of the Bill are in highly technical, high skill sectors and will have guidance and support they can draw from Regulators, Government and NCSC to help them to drive up cyber maturity and effectively manage risks to the essential services they provide. To further support the development of cyber security skills, the £187 million TechFirst programme will fund up to 4,000 students, researchers and innovators entering frontier industries, and help local firms fill around 1,000 tech roles, including cyber security roles.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cybersecurity risks arising from the deployment of advanced or autonomous AI systems with significant access to the data of businesses and public sector organisations.

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

We're confident that AI will bring huge benefits to businesses and public sector organisations.

Last year the government published the AI Cyber Security Code of Practice which sets out measures to address cyber security risks to AI systems.

Organisations which develop and deploy AI systems should use this code to protect our citizens and our digital economy, while ensuring the many benefits of AI can be realised

To complement this, the AI Security Institute conducts research on the risks posed by frontier AI, including cyber offensive capabilities. The Institute shares insights with Government security organisations, including the National Cyber Security Centre, to ensure the Government can plan for serious AI impacts.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many AI-related MOUs, strategic partnerships and service agreements have been signed by government departments since July 2024.

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

A total of 26 AI‑related MOUs, strategic partnerships, and service agreements have been signed by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology since July 2024.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UK's role in international AI safety governance; and what steps they are taking to strengthen the capacity, resources and global partnerships of the AI Security Institute to support international standards setting and risk evaluation.

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

The UK AI Security Institute (AISI) was the world’s first state-backed organisation dedicated to providing a scientific of understanding transformative AI capabilities and their associated risks. AISI work and research is world-leading and similar institutes have been created across the world in UK AISI’s image.

UK AISI works closely with international partners to share information on the latest AI capabilities to inform decision making. UK AISI works particularly closely with the UK’s security partners to share information on AI capabilities as they relate to mutual national security matters.

UK AISI has agreements in place with the US Center for AI Standards and Innovation (US CAISI), Singapore AISI and other international partners to formalize AI security co-operation, informing international AI governance.

UK AISI is the coordinator of the International Network for Advanced AI Measurement, Evaluation and Science. The Network brings together international partners to advance AI evaluation science and measurement.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what is the estimated total cost to the public purse of the Our Future Health research programme.

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

As announced in the Life Sciences Sector Plan, the government allocated £354m CDEL R&D Spending Review phase 2 funding from 2026/27 to 2029/30 to Our Future Health to become the largest longitudinal health research cohort and clinical trials resource in the world, with up to 5 million consented participants by 2030. This follows earlier investment of £58m CDEL R&D in 2026/27 from Spending Review phase 1, £79m CDEL R&D from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, which established the programme, and £81m CDEL R&D from repurposed underspend to fund additional objectives.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government which civil society, charitable or corporate organisations, if any, were invited to comment on or provide input to the content of the Growing up in the online world consultation prior to its publication on 2 March.

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

We regularly meet with civil society stakeholders to discuss online safety policy.

Any civil society, charitable, or corporate organisation mentioned in the consultation was asked to check that the specific references to them were factually accurate before publication.

All organisations are invited to respond to the consultation.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government which academics or consultants will design and supervise the pilots announced as part of the Growing up in the online world consultation; and whether they will publish the protocols for those pilots.

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

The Government is working with Savanta to design and supervise the pilots.

Officials have sought expert advice from the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Dame Angela Mclean, and the Government Office for Science (GO-Science). In February, Dame Angela convened and chaired a roundtable with academics, researchers and others with expertise in digital safety and evaluation design; to consider the objectives and methodologies for the pilots to ensure they can effectively inform future policy decisions.

Further information on the pilots will be provided in the coming weeks.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government who will select academics to join the academic panel announced in the Growing up in the online world consultation; on what basis those academics will be selected; and what steps they will take to ensure that any actual or potential conflicts of interest, including research funding relationships, can be publicly disclosed by those on the panel.

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

DSIT has received advice from the Government Office for Science (GO-Science), academia and members of the research community on the potential makeup of the panel.

Prospective members will be required to declare conflicts of interest, which the Department will review before any appointment. The declarations of all panel members will be made public.

Further information about the panel will be made available in the coming weeks.

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 Ofcom, on the attribution of ultimate authorship of defamatory comments towards humans by autonomous bots.

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

A range of rules already apply to AI systems, such as data protection, competition, equality legislation and other forms of sector regulation. The UK has well established defamation laws, and our data protection laws also apply to personal data processed in the context of AI. We continue to monitor developments in the common law in this area.

AI services including chatbots that enable users to share content with one another, or that search the live internet in response to user prompts, are regulated under the Online Safety Act and covered by the illegal content and children's safety duties. The largest user-to-user services will also need to enforce their terms of service, such as where they prohibit AI-generated content which is deceptive. Companies that do not comply can expect to face enforcement action from Ofcom.

The Department meets regularly with technology companies and Ofcom to discuss how they can better protect people in the UK from illegal and harmful content online, including from chatbots. We will continue to work closely with industry and Ofcom to address emerging risks and uphold strong online safety protections.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions her Department has had with AI companies on the publication on the internet of defamatory comments towards humans by autonomous bots.

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

A range of rules already apply to AI systems, such as data protection, competition, equality legislation and other forms of sector regulation. The UK has well established defamation laws, and our data protection laws also apply to personal data processed in the context of AI. We continue to monitor developments in the common law in this area.

AI services including chatbots that enable users to share content with one another, or that search the live internet in response to user prompts, are regulated under the Online Safety Act and covered by the illegal content and children's safety duties. The largest user-to-user services will also need to enforce their terms of service, such as where they prohibit AI-generated content which is deceptive. Companies that do not comply can expect to face enforcement action from Ofcom.

The Department meets regularly with technology companies and Ofcom to discuss how they can better protect people in the UK from illegal and harmful content online, including from chatbots. We will continue to work closely with industry and Ofcom to address emerging risks and uphold strong online safety protections.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the deployment of AI systems in robotics and machinery; and what plans they have to introduce frameworks to regulate that deployment.

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

AI-enabled capabilities in robotics and autonomous systems are supporting growth as an essential driver of productivity across sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics. The Government is accelerating the adoption of these technologies through a new set of £52m Robotics Adoption Hubs to provide businesses with the expertise to understand and use these systems.

In response to the AI Action Plan, the Government committed to work with regulators to boost their capabilities. The government has been clear that we will legislate where needed but we will do so based on evidence where any serious gaps are.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions her Department has had with Ofcom regarding the regulation of online video games under the Online Safety Act 2023.

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

The Department regularly engages with Ofcom on a wide range of online safety matters, including online gaming.

Ofcom has published a range of guidance and tips to support businesses in complying with the Online Safety Act. Specific guidance for the gaming sector can be found here: Gaming: know the online safety risks, the rules, and how to comply

Ofcom is committed to ensuring the new rules are clearly explained to services, and we are committed to helping small businesses navigate regulations

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether guidance has been issued to video game developers on compliance with the Online Safety Act 2023.

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

The Department regularly engages with Ofcom on a wide range of online safety matters, including online gaming.

Ofcom has published a range of guidance and tips to support businesses in complying with the Online Safety Act. Specific guidance for the gaming sector can be found here: Gaming: know the online safety risks, the rules, and how to comply

Ofcom is committed to ensuring the new rules are clearly explained to services, and we are committed to helping small businesses navigate regulations

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 merits of her Department taking an equity stake in artificial intelligence companies as part of its Sovereign AI Strategy.

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

Sovereign AI is a new government VC fund backed by £500 million to invest in strategically significant UK AI companies, anchoring them here to drive national advantage.

Direct equity investment, integrated with a package of government-only support levers will be central to this mission.

This ensures Britain has a stake in the technologies shaping our future, protecting people from future economic shocks while powering UK growth.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve research and innovation in the defence sector.

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

The Strategic Defence Review and Industrial Strategy were clear. Innovation is central to deterrence and decisive factors in war.

DSIT is working closely with the Ministry of Defence to implement the Defence Industrial Strategy. UKRI are delivering £550m into the Defence and National Security sector.

We are partnering with MOD as they commit at least 10% of their equipment budget on novel technologies. Ensuring cutting-edge UK research and innovation delivers for defence.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve research and innovation in the defence sector.

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

The Strategic Defence Review and Industrial Strategy were clear. Innovation is central to deterrence and decisive factors in war.

DSIT is working closely with the Ministry of Defence to implement the Defence Industrial Strategy. UKRI are delivering £550m into the Defence and National Security sector.

We are partnering with MOD as they commit at least 10% of their equipment budget on novel technologies. Ensuring cutting-edge UK research and innovation delivers for defence.

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 potential impact of proposed changes to the budget of the Science and Technology Facilities Council on research facilities and programmes.

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

The Science and Technology Facilities Council is currently working with the sector to model different spending scenarios for its portfolio in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics.

No final decisions have been made. The impacts of different scenarios and sector feedback will be considered when taking final decisions. We are clear that curiosity driven research must be protected.

The UK remains committed to physics and international physics collaboration, including as the second-largest contributor at CERN.

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 tackle misinformation online.

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

This issue is, rightly, of huge concern. The Online Safety Act is already protecting users from illegal dis- and misinformation online, including foreign interference.

We are already taking further action, including launching a campaign to support children’s resilience to misinformation.

Where we need to take further action, especially to protect UK democratic processes, we will.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of AI tools in recruitment processes, including automated screening systems; and what guidance or regulatory frameworks are in place to prevent algorithmic bias and promote fair access to employment opportunities.

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

The Government is committed to removing barriers to AI adoption, unlocking new opportunities, while ensuring technologies are fair, inclusive and accessible.

We have published the Responsible AI in Recruitment guidance which sets out good practice procuring and deploying AI systems for HR and recruitment. This guidance highlights the mechanisms that can be used to ensure the safe and trustworthy use of AI in recruitment.

A range of existing regulatory frameworks already apply to AI systems in the UK, such as data protection, equality legislation and other forms of sectoral regulation. The government will act where additional protections are needed.

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 the safety of young people online.

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

Protecting children online is a top priority. The Online Safety Act brought in some of the strongest protections for children globally.

We have already taken steps to build on these by introducing new priority offences and tackling intimate image abuse and we have launched a landmark consultation on further measures to protect children online, including whether there should be a minimum age for social media, and restrictions to AI chatbots and gaming.

Finally, we are legislating to ensure we can act quickly on the findings of the consultation because no child should have to wait to experience a safe, fulfilling life online.

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 protect children online.

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

Protecting children online is a top priority. The Online Safety Act brought in some of the strongest protections for children globally.

We have already taken steps to build on these by introducing new priority offences and tackling intimate image abuse and we have launched a landmark consultation on further measures to protect children online, including whether there should be a minimum age for social media, and restrictions to AI chatbots and gaming.

Finally, we are legislating to ensure we can act quickly on the findings of the consultation because no child should have to wait to experience a safe, fulfilling life online.

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 of the US CLOUD Act for UK government data held on infrastructure provided by (a) Microsoft, (b) Google Cloud and (c) Amazon Web Services under agreements entered into since July 2024.

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

DSIT has not made any central assessments of the US CLOUD Act and the implications for UK government data.

Under UK data protection laws, UK organisations, including UK Government, must ensure personal data is appropriately protected when transferred internationally.

The UK has an adequacy decision for certain transfers to the US under the UK Extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which included an assessment of US government access laws and practices, such as the US CLOUD Act. Where adequacy is not relied upon, organisations must use alternative safeguards, such as standard contractual clauses, in accordance with Article 46 of the UK GDPR.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether any civil servants hired by her Department were recruited over another person on the basis of a protected characteristic in each of the last three years.

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

Civil Service recruitment must follow the rules set out in legislation within the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (CRaGA) 2010, which outlines the requirements to ensure that civil servants are recruited on merit, via fair and open competition.

Compliance with CRaGA is overseen by the independent Civil Service Commission, which publishes Recruitment Principles setting out the detailed rules departments must follow.

For departments who use Civil Service Jobs to manage their recruitment, applicants are asked to provide diversity data on a voluntary basis only and no details are shared with hiring managers.

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 ensure equitable digital connectivity across the UK.

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

Our ambition is for all populated areas to have access to higher quality standalone 5G by 2030 and we have a target to deliver gigabit broadband to 99% of UK premises by 2032. Both go further than just the largest towns and cities, to help ensure equitable access to digital connectivity across the UK.

Standalone 5G connectivity is being delivered by the three mobile network operators, who have each committed significant investment and made coverage commitments which align with the Government’s ambition. Alongside the commercial rollout of standalone 5G, Government’s Shared Rural Network programme continues to deliver 4G coverage in areas where there is little or no coverage currently, with delivery continuing to January 2027.

Gigabit-capable broadband is delivered by the market where it is commercially viable and the Government subsidises delivery to harder to reach premises that are not included in suppliers' commercial plans through Project Gigabit. We also continue to monitor and support market development for alternative solutions to deliver quality broadband connectivity to more remote premises.

To support both the rollout of fixed and mobile networks, Government continues to work to identify and address barriers to deployment where practical to do so.

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 enterprise software licensing practices on the ability of customers to run software across competing cloud platforms on equivalent commercial terms.

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

In July last year, the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) cloud market investigation identified a number of potential competition concerns, including barriers that may limit customer choice and make it harder for businesses to switch or run workloads across competing cloud providers on equivalent terms. The CMA recommended that its Board consider prioritising a future Strategic Market Status (SMS) investigation into cloud services under its new digital markets powers.

The Government is committed to promoting a competitive and innovative digital economy and therefore prioritised the commencement of these powers last year, alongside a clear expectation that they be used to support competition and innovation in digital markets. The CMA is independent of Government, and decisions on which markets to investigate are a matter for its Board alone.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps is she taking to end the use of the LD50 test for UK-only regulations.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 10 December 2025 to Question 96750.

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 UK Research and Innovation research grant cuts on early career researchers in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics.

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

The Government is investing a record £86 billion in R&D between 2026/27 and 2029/30, with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) delivering £38.6 billion across the UK. UKRI’s “applicant-led” budgets will increase from £737 million this year to £815 million in 2026/27 and £866 million in 2029/30.

The Government recognises the central role that physics plays in driving economic growth, underpinning emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum and semiconductors, nuclear fusion and many others as well as sustaining the UK’s long-term scientific and industrial capability.

DSIT has asked UKRI to ensure that its final allocations are informed by consultation with the research community, as well as robust assessment of potential impacts on the UK’s scientific capability. Physics is well funded and there have been big increases for quantum and nuclear. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), which is part of UKRI, is currently working with the sector to model different spending scenarios for its specific portfolio in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear (PPAN). No final spending decisions relating to STFC’s PPAN portfolio have been made, and the impacts of different modelled scenarios will be considered alongside feedback from the sector before taking any final decisions.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding has been distributed from the National Security Strategic Investment Fund since 5 July 2024.

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

National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF) invests in dual use companies across Quantum, Space, AI, and Emerging Technologies, on a range of cheque sizes, co-investing typically at Seed or Series A funding rounds. NSSIF tends to take a minority stake and not lead the rounds. As published in public accounts NSSIF invested via direct equity investments £8.6m in FY24-25. Accounts for FY25-26 will be published later in the year.

Details of many of the companies in NSSIF's investment portfolio are published on NSSIF's website (www.nssif.gov.uk).

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what impact her Department estimates GDPR regulations have had on productivity since they were adopted.

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

There is currently no definitive empirical study specifying UK-wide GDPR impact on productivity since adoption in 2018.

However, UK GDPR strengthened individuals’ rights and trust in digital services, supporting long-term economic growth. The Data (Use and Access) Act is designed to maintain high standards of data protection while reducing unnecessary compliance burdens. Reforms expect to support UK productivity growth by lowering administrative costs for routine data processing, improving regulatory certainty, and enabling responsible data driven innovation. DSIT estimates net impacts of £1.2 billion over ten years from data protection and privacy reforms, including around £300 million in productivity-related gains.

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 maintain and support astrophysics research projects at centres such as the research institute at Jodrell Bank Observatory.

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

The Government is investing a record £86 billion in R&D between 2026/27 and 2029/30, with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) delivering £38.6 billion across the UK. UKRI’s “applicant-led” budgets will increase from £737 million this year to £815 million in 2026/27 and £866 million in 2029/30.

The Government recognises the central role that physics plays in driving economic growth, underpinning emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum and semiconductors, nuclear fusion and many others as well as sustaining the UK’s long-term scientific and industrial capability.

DSIT has asked UKRI to ensure that its final allocations are informed by consultation with the research community, as well as robust assessment of potential impacts on the UK’s scientific capability. Physics is well funded and there have been big increases for quantum and nuclear. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), which is part of UKRI, is currently working with the sector to model different spending scenarios for its specific portfolio in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear (PPAN). No final spending decisions relating to STFC’s PPAN portfolio have been made, and the impacts of different modelled scenarios will be considered alongside feedback from the sector before taking any final decisions.

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 UK Research and Innovation provision on the future of UK research in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics.

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

The Government is investing a record £86 billion in R&D between 2026/27 and 2029/30, with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) delivering £38.6 billion across the UK. UKRI’s “applicant-led” budgets will increase from £737 million this year to £815 million in 2026/27 and £866 million in 2029/30.

The Government recognises the central role that physics plays in driving economic growth, underpinning emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum and semiconductors, nuclear fusion and many others as well as sustaining the UK’s long-term scientific and industrial capability.

DSIT has asked UKRI to ensure that its final allocations are informed by consultation with the research community, as well as robust assessment of potential impacts on the UK’s scientific capability. Physics is well funded and there have been big increases for quantum and nuclear. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), which is part of UKRI, is currently working with the sector to model different spending scenarios for its specific portfolio in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear (PPAN). No final spending decisions relating to STFC’s PPAN portfolio have been made, and the impacts of different modelled scenarios will be considered alongside feedback from the sector before taking any final decisions.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what requirements are in place for private companies to inform their customers that facial recognition software is being used on the premises.

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

The use of facial recognition technologies is already governed by existing legal frameworks including equalities and data protection laws, which provide significant and proportionate protections. Under UK GDPR, there is a high bar for using such technology, as the processing of biometric data for identification purposes falls into the existing definition of special category data processing.

Under the UK’s data protection framework, organisations must process personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently, which means being clear with people about how and why their personal data is being processed. Any personal data should also be kept secure and not processed for longer than is necessary. Organisations must also carry out an impact assessment when processing activities involving new technologies are likely to result in a high risk to individuals’ rights and freedoms.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the independent data protection regulator, has issued guidance on the use of facial recognition systems and continues to monitor developments in this area.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to develop a legislative framework for the use of facial recognition software by private companies.

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

The use of facial recognition technologies is already governed by existing legal frameworks including equalities and data protection laws, which provide significant and proportionate protections. Under UK GDPR, there is a high bar for using such technology, as the processing of biometric data for identification purposes falls into the existing definition of special category data processing.

Under the UK’s data protection framework, organisations must process personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently, which means being clear with people about how and why their personal data is being processed. Any personal data should also be kept secure and not processed for longer than is necessary. Organisations must also carry out an impact assessment when processing activities involving new technologies are likely to result in a high risk to individuals’ rights and freedoms.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the independent data protection regulator, has issued guidance on the use of facial recognition systems and continues to monitor developments in this area.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what privacy protections are in place around the use of facial recognition software by private companies.

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

The use of facial recognition technologies is already governed by existing legal frameworks including equalities and data protection laws, which provide significant and proportionate protections. Under UK GDPR, there is a high bar for using such technology, as the processing of biometric data for identification purposes falls into the existing definition of special category data processing.

Under the UK’s data protection framework, organisations must process personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently, which means being clear with people about how and why their personal data is being processed. Any personal data should also be kept secure and not processed for longer than is necessary. Organisations must also carry out an impact assessment when processing activities involving new technologies are likely to result in a high risk to individuals’ rights and freedoms.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the independent data protection regulator, has issued guidance on the use of facial recognition systems and continues to monitor developments in this area.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has held discussions with the Home Office on the increased use of Virtual Private Networks by criminals following the introduction of the Online Safety Act 2023.

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

Making the UK a safer place to be online is a priority for the Government, and the Online Safety Act is central to this. Officials from DSIT and the Home Office meet regularly to discuss the implementation of the Act and wider online safety issues.

While there is currently no evidence that VPNs are being used more by criminals following the introduction of the Act, the Government continues to monitor the impact of circumvention techniques on the online environment. VPNs also have legitimate uses including protecting users’ privacy and supporting secure access to services.

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 cyber governance regulations on business growth in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset, and (c) England.

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

The Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill was introduced in November 2025 to increase UK defences against cyber attacks. These reforms will ensure the UK economy is better protected than ever by securing the most important essential and digital services and suppliers which businesses and public services rely on.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology produced an Impact Assessment for the introduction of the Bill that identifies the expected impact the legislation will have on regulated entities. The assessment highlights that cyber security is a critical enabler of economic growth, and it is expected that the improved security resulting from businesses adhering to the regulations will mean the benefits of adherence outweigh the cost of adherence. Further analysis will be undertaken for relevant secondary legislation to support the implementation of the Bill, and the Impact Assessment will be updated upon Royal Assent.

The government's forthcoming Modernising Corporate Reporting consultation will provide an opportunity for users of corporate reporting to comment on the effectiveness of the existing risk reporting framework which includes businesses' cyber risk reporting and the Department for Business and Trade will consider the impact on business growth of any changes to risk reporting following this consultation.

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 broadband infrastructure in rural communities.

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

Gigabit-capable broadband is now available to 86% of UK premises, as reported by Ofcom’s Connected Nations Report (2025), and we continue to work towards the target of nationwide coverage by 2032.

Project Gigabit is the government’s programme to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to UK premises that are not included in suppliers' commercial plans. Delivering the speeds associated with gigabit-capable broadband ensures the UK network is prepared for the future, with the ability to handle increased demand and new technology developments.

As of the end of December 2025, over 1.3 million premises in rural and hard to reach communities across the UK had been upgraded to gigabit-capable broadband through government-funded programmes. More than one million premises are included within £2.4 billion worth of signed Project Gigabit contracts.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much Innovate UK funding has been awarded to organisations based in Lincolnshire in each of the last three financial years.

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

Innovate UK’s grant funding database shows that during the most recent three full financial years, Innovate UK offered £26.8 million in grant awards to organisations registered in Lincolnshire. This is broken down by financial year as follows:

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 potential impact of technical, contractual and financial switching barriers in the cloud services market on effective competition for UK businesses and public sector bodies.

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

The Government is committed to supporting a competitive and innovative digital economy. In July 2025, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that certain technical and commercial practices in the cloud market hinder switching and limit effective competition. The CMA recommended its Board prioritise a future Strategic Market Status investigation into cloud competition.

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 potential impact of the implementation of the user identity verification provisions in the Online Safety Act on the Government’s target to halve violence against women and girls.

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

Ofcom will be consulting on guidance for user identity verification required under the Online Safety Act, following the publication of the categorisation register. The consultation findings will be published as soon as possible, by mid-2027.

The Act requires providers to offer UK adult users features to filter out non verified users; this will help women and girls filter out anonymous abuse more effectively.

The user identify verification requirements will allow users greater protection of their data identity and improves digital inclusion and accessibility.

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 potential impact of the implementation of the user identity verification provisions in the Online Safety Act on the uptake of digital identity products and services.

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

Ofcom will be consulting on guidance for user identity verification required under the Online Safety Act, following the publication of the categorisation register. The consultation findings will be published as soon as possible, by mid-2027.

The Act requires providers to offer UK adult users features to filter out non verified users; this will help women and girls filter out anonymous abuse more effectively.

The user identify verification requirements will allow users greater protection of their data identity and improves digital inclusion and accessibility.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what work her Department has undertaken on the implementation of the user identity verification provisions in the Online Safety Act.

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

Ofcom will be consulting on guidance for user identity verification required under the Online Safety Act, following the publication of the categorisation register. The consultation findings will be published as soon as possible, by mid-2027.

The Act requires providers to offer UK adult users features to filter out non verified users; this will help women and girls filter out anonymous abuse more effectively.

The user identify verification requirements will allow users greater protection of their data identity and improves digital inclusion and accessibility.

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 potential impact of digital piracy and intellectual property infringement on the creative industries.

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

The UK Government recognises the challenges that digital piracy creates for intellectual property (IP) owners, creators and businesses within the creative industries. We work closely with law enforcement partners, rights holders, consumers, and industry to understand where and how this is taking place.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has conducted research into the scale of digital piracy, and IP infringement more broadly across multiple sectors. For example, two IPO consumer surveys published in 2025 demonstrated that digital piracy continues to be a challenge in the UK. In 2024, 29% of UK residents aged 12+ (around 17.2 million) had recently accessed online content that infringed IP rights. This activity can have a negative impact on businesses, including the creative industries. These impacts include, but are not limited to, lost sales and the costs related to monitoring and enforcement.

This information is used, along with other data we collect on online infringement (e.g., use of counterfeit goods) to help design measures that can affect consumer behaviour and provide cost-effective, targeted enforcement procedures

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has held discussions with Ofcom on the adequacy of content moderation resources on social media platforms.

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

The Department engages with Ofcom regularly on a wide range of online safety matters.

The Online Safety Act is clear that services must comply with their illegal content duties and child safety duties, which include taking effective steps to moderate harmful and illegal content on their platforms.

Ofcom has our full backing to use their full suite of enforcement powers including imposing fines and pursuing further sanctions where necessary, to hold companies accountable.

We will continue to work closely with Ofcom to make sure platforms are taking appropriate action to protect users, especially children, from illegal and harmful content.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps is she taking to engage with technology platforms whose devices or services are used to facilitate illegal streaming; and what steps is she taking to reduce such misuse.

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

The Government is committed to protecting IP rights for UK businesses and safeguarding consumers from those who seek to profit from intellectual property infringement, including in the online environment. The UK addresses online IP infringement through a multi‑layered approach that brings together law enforcement, engagement with online platforms, and consumer education. This work is coordinated primarily by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO).

The IPO has published user-friendly guidance on the tools available through online marketplaces and e-commerce platforms to address intellectual property infringement. It also engages regularly with e-commerce platforms to help ensure that robust policies and procedures are in place to tackle infringing activity. In addition, the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), hosted by the City of London Police and funded by the IPO in conjunction with DSIT, is one of the UK’s specialist units responsible for tackling online piracy and large‑scale counterfeiting.

Alongside criminal enforcement, rights holders can pursue civil remedies for online infringement, including injunctions against infringing websites or intermediaries, website‑blocking orders and claims for damages

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to paragraph 88 of the policy paper entitled UK Government Resilience Action Plan, published on 14 July 2025, how many meetings have been attended by civil servants within their Department in relation to the Home Defence Programme; which directorate in the Department owns the Departmental contribution to the Home Defence Programme; and what the job title is of the civil servant leading and cohering the Departmental contribution to the Home Defence Programme.

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

The Resilience Action Plan sets out the Government’s strategic approach to how we will strengthen our domestic resilience and invest to protect the nation. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology officials regularly attend meetings to discuss the implementation of the Resilience Action Plan as well as matters of national security and defence.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is actively contributing to this work.

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 potential impact of digital piracy and intellectual property infringement on UK businesses.

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

The UK Government recognises the challenges that digital piracy creates for intellectual property (IP) owners, creators and businesses. We work closely with law enforcement partners, rights holders, consumers, and industry to understand where and how this is taking place.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has conducted research into the scale of digital piracy, and IP infringement more broadly across multiple sectors. For example, two IPO consumer surveys published in 2025 demonstrated that digital piracy continues to be a challenge in the UK. In 2024, 29% of UK residents aged 12+ (around 17.2 million) had recently accessed online content that infringed IP rights. This activity can have a negative impact on businesses. These impacts include, but are not limited to, lost sales and the costs related to monitoring and enforcement.

This information is used, along with other data we collect on online infringement (e.g., use of counterfeit goods) to help design measures that can affect consumer behaviour and provide cost-effective, targeted enforcement procedures.

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 ministerial colleagues from a) the Home Office, b) HM Treasury and c) the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on coordinated action to tackle online piracy.

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

While the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has policy responsibility for protecting intellectual property (IP), IP crime and infringement, including online piracy, is a serious, cross-cutting issue that affects many sectors. Tackling this issue requires a co-ordinated approach which is why DSIT works closely with the Home Office, HM Treasury, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, as well as others across government to tackle online piracy

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 accessibility of suicide fora to children through gaming chats.

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

The Online Safety Act requires in-scope services, including in-scope gaming services, to prevent all users from encountering illegal suicide and self-harm content, and children from legal content encouraging, promoting, or providing instructions for suicide or self-harm.

It is difficult to estimate how many children access online suicide fora. Ofcom research indicates that fewer than 3 secondary school students in a thousand encounter suicide content through a broad category of websites, that would include suicide fora, during a four-week period. Five in a thousand encountered suicide content through online gaming platforms during the same period.

Ofcom’s first investigation under the Act targeted a pro-suicide forum. On 6 January, Ofcom confirmed it informed the forum provider that Ofcom is working towards issuing a provisional notice of contravention in relation to Act breaches.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate she has made of the number of children accessing online suicide fora.

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

The Online Safety Act requires in-scope services, including in-scope gaming services, to prevent all users from encountering illegal suicide and self-harm content, and children from legal content encouraging, promoting, or providing instructions for suicide or self-harm.

It is difficult to estimate how many children access online suicide fora. Ofcom research indicates that fewer than 3 secondary school students in a thousand encounter suicide content through a broad category of websites, that would include suicide fora, during a four-week period. Five in a thousand encountered suicide content through online gaming platforms during the same period.

Ofcom’s first investigation under the Act targeted a pro-suicide forum. On 6 January, Ofcom confirmed it informed the forum provider that Ofcom is working towards issuing a provisional notice of contravention in relation to Act breaches.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to Answer of 17 February 2026 to Question 111407, whether the consultation will include policy proposals relating to the visibility of children’s a) profile images and b) public biographical information.

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

Our landmark consultation on measures to protect children and enrich their online wellbeing launched on 2^nd March. This is open to the public, industry and civil society to respond to. We have also published parent and child versions to ensure all voices are reflected.

Measures in the consultation include implementing a minimum age to access certain social media and gaming platforms and limiting children’s access to ‘risky’ functionalities like livestreaming, location sharing and connecting with strangers. Respondents have the opportunity to list any other features they think should be age-restricted, which could include children’s public profile images and biographical information.

The consultation closes on 26 May. We will respond by the summer.

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 inward investment agreements for new datacentres include binding requirements on energy efficiency, renewable power sourcing and heat‑recovery obligations; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential environmental risks arising from the absence of a single cross‑government standard for datacentre sustainability.

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

The government is committed to ensuring that new data centres and AI infrastructure are developed responsibly, with due consideration of environmental impacts.

UK data and AI infrastructure is subject to the UK’s environmental and planning frameworks, which require assessment of impacts such as energy use. Larger data centres, which will be able to apply through the recently introduced Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project route, will also be subject to these requirements.

DSIT works closely with DESNZ, DEFRA, and MHCLG to ensure that the UK’s data centre growth align with wider policy objectives, including on sustainability and Clean Power 2030 ambitions. The AI Energy Council, co-chaired by Secretaries of State for DSIT and DESNZ, brings together regulators, energy companies and tech firms to address the growing energy demands of AI in a sustainable and scalable way.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much UK Research and Innovation funding has been awarded to organisations based in West Yorkshire in each of the last three financial years.

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

During the financial years 2021/22 to 2023/24, UK Research and Innovation invested £723 million in grant awards to organisations in West Yorkshire. This is broken down by financial year as follows:

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 Ofcom’s ability to deploy service restriction orders or business disruption measures in cases where companies fail to pay financial penalties issued under the Online Safety Act.

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

Ofcom's enforcement powers allow it to take enforcement action against a service, including directions to return to compliance, issuing fines or, where appropriate, applying to the courts for business disruption measures, regardless of where it is based. Ofcom publishes details of its enforcement action on its website.

Government continues to monitor the effectiveness of Ofcom’s enforcement of the Online Safety Act 2023 and welcomes recent enforcement action related to non-compliance with duties on highly effective age assurance for sights hosting pornographic content and adult services.

Where services do not comply with duties, or fail to respond to penalties, Ofcom can introduce a daily fine, escalate to business disruption measures (‘blocking’ a service’s access to UK users) or apply to the courts to convert a civil fine to a court-ordered financial penalty.

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 ensure that online platforms based overseas comply with Ofcom penalties issued under the Online Safety Act 2023.

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

Ofcom's enforcement powers allow it to take enforcement action against a service, including directions to return to compliance, issuing fines or, where appropriate, applying to the courts for business disruption measures, regardless of where it is based. Ofcom publishes details of its enforcement action on its website.

Government continues to monitor the effectiveness of Ofcom’s enforcement of the Online Safety Act 2023 and welcomes recent enforcement action related to non-compliance with duties on highly effective age assurance for sights hosting pornographic content and adult services.

Where services do not comply with duties, or fail to respond to penalties, Ofcom can introduce a daily fine, escalate to business disruption measures (‘blocking’ a service’s access to UK users) or apply to the courts to convert a civil fine to a court-ordered financial penalty.

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 effectiveness of Ofcom’s enforcement powers relating to fines issues to adult websites.

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

Ofcom's enforcement powers allow it to take enforcement action against a service, including directions to return to compliance, issuing fines or, where appropriate, applying to the courts for business disruption measures, regardless of where it is based. Ofcom publishes details of its enforcement action on its website.

Government continues to monitor the effectiveness of Ofcom’s enforcement of the Online Safety Act 2023 and welcomes recent enforcement action related to non-compliance with duties on highly effective age assurance for sights hosting pornographic content and adult services.

Where services do not comply with duties, or fail to respond to penalties, Ofcom can introduce a daily fine, escalate to business disruption measures (‘blocking’ a service’s access to UK users) or apply to the courts to convert a civil fine to a court-ordered financial penalty.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made the potential merits of introducing content labelling requirements for AI-generated images and videos on social media platforms.

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

The government continues to explore the feasibility of technical solutions for the labelling of AI-generated content to support transparency, such as through the Deepfake Detection Challenge.

AI is a general-purpose technology with a wide range of applications, which is why the government believes that most AI systems should be regulated at the point of use. In response to the AI Action Plan, the government committed to work with regulators to boost their capabilities. The government has been clear that we will legislate where needed but we will do so on the basis of evidence where any serious gaps are.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps have been taken to reduce fragmentation of digital systems across departments, as identified in the State of Digital Government Review.

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

At the same time as publishing the State of Digital Government Review, the Government set out the Blueprint for Modern Digital Government. In January 2026, the Government published the Roadmap for Modern Digital Government, translating that vision into a practical delivery plan and setting out further action to join up services and strengthen shared digital infrastructure. This included establishing the Technical Design Council, comprised of technical experts from across the Public Sector, to provide strategic direction on shared strategies and technical solutions.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what measures are being taken to ensure that the withdrawal of 3G services does not leave gaps in mobile coverage, and how the Government is accelerating the availability of 5G to address these gaps.

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

All 3G networks in the UK have now been switched off. EE and Vodafone switched off 3G in February 2024, Three in November 2025, and VMO2 in February 2026. Ofcom’s expectation of the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) was that they would provide broadly equivalent levels of coverage after switching off 3G. As reported in its 2025 Connected Nations report, Ofcom has received very few complaints from customers about the 3G switch-off. The mobile industry has not reported to Ofcom any significant disruption.

The 3G switch-off released spectrum to be reallocated to improve the newer and more efficient 4G and 5G networks.

The MNOs have committed significant investment which aligns with the Government's ambition of all populated areas being able to access higher quality standalone 5G by 2030. We continue to work with network operators to ensure this investment translates into benefits for communities right across the UK. In parallel, we are continuing work to identify and address barriers to deployment where it is practical to do so.

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 support research and innovation partnerships involving local authorities and combined authorities.

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

As we set out in the English Devolution White Paper, the government will work in partnership with local leaders, businesses and universities to unlock the innovation potential of places across the UK – ensuring that everyone benefits from innovation-led growth that will create the jobs of the future.

To achieve this, we are building stronger connections with strategic authorities to empower local decision-making. Our new Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, backed by up to £500 million, is enabling local leaders to work in partnership with UKRI to grow high potential innovation clusters and create jobs aligned to local strengths.

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 barriers faced by local authorities in accessing innovation and research funding.

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

As we set out in the English Devolution White Paper, the government will work in partnership with local leaders, businesses and universities to unlock the innovation potential of places across the UK – ensuring that everyone benefits from innovation-led growth that will create the jobs of the future.

To achieve this, we are building stronger connections with strategic authorities to empower local decision-making. Our new Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, backed by up to £500 million, is enabling local leaders to work in partnership with UKRI to grow high potential innovation clusters and create jobs aligned to local strengths.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding has been allocated to research and development projects led by organisations based in Bradford in each of the last three financial years.

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

During the financial years 2022/23 to 2024/25, UK Research and Innovation made £9.6 million in grant awards to organisations in Bradford. This is broken down by financial year as follows:

Not all UKRI funding investments are captured in the figures provided due to data unavailability.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the rules governing data protection that require sites and services using age verification to delete submitted information once that data has been used.

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

The Government has not undertaken a specific assessment of the effectiveness of rules requiring the deletion of data submitted for age verification once it has been used.

The UK’s data protection framework requires personal data to be minimised and not retained for longer than necessary, including where data is collected for age verification purposes. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is independent of Government and is responsible for monitoring and enforcing the UK’s data protection laws.

In January 2024, the ICO published an updated Commissioner’s Opinion on age assurance for the Children’s Code (https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2024/01/ico-publishes-updated-commissioner-s-opinion-on-age-assurance-for-the-children-s-code/).

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the 2009 Drayson partitions remain Government and UK Research and Innovation policy.

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

The “Drayson partitions” policy established in 2010, prior to the formation of UKRI, was to avoid tensioning parts of the Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) portfolio in an inappropriate way, whilst acknowledging that tensioning different portfolio elements is a very necessary part of managing research and innovation investment.

These are not and have never been used as a ringfencing mechanism and crucially do not provide recourse to additional funds when cost pressures arise. Funding lines have been, and continue to be, independent and distinct, but cost pressures have always been dealt with across the portfolio.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate her Department has made of the cost to public sector bodies of limited competition in the UK cloud infrastructure market.

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

In July last year, the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) cloud market investigation identified a number of potential competition concerns with clear negative impacts for UK businesses, consumers and the public sector.

The CMA recommended that its Board consider prioritising a future Strategic Market Status (SMS) investigation into cloud services under its new digital markets powers. The CMA is independent of Government, and decisions on which markets to investigate are a matter for its Board alone.

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 resilience of UK critical digital services in relation to the level of concentration in the cloud infrastructure market.

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

In July last year, the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) cloud market investigation identified a number of potential competition concerns which may impact the resilience of UK’s digital infrastructure. The CMA recommended that its Board consider prioritising a future Strategic Market Status (SMS) investigation into cloud services under its new digital markets powers.

The Government is committed to promoting a competitive and innovative digital economy and therefore prioritised the commencement of these powers last year, alongside a clear expectation that they be used to support competition and innovation in digital markets. The CMA is independent of Government, and decisions on which markets to investigate are a matter for its Board alone.

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 impact of delays to competition solutions in the cloud services market on market concentration; and what consideration she has given to the implications for growth and innovation in the technology sector.

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

In July last year, the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) cloud market investigation identified a number of potential competition concerns. The CMA recommended that its Board consider prioritising a future Strategic Market Status (SMS) investigation into cloud services under its new digital markets powers.

The Government is committed to promoting a competitive and innovative digital economy and therefore prioritised the commencement of these powers last year, alongside a clear expectation that they be used to support competition and innovation in digital markets. The CMA is independent of Government, and decisions on which markets to investigate are a matter for its Board alone

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions her Department has had with the Competition and Markets Authority on the proposed timetable for the next stages of its cloud market investigation; and what assessment she has made of the implications of that timetable for competition enforcement in digital infrastructure markets.

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

In July last year, the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) cloud market investigation identified a number of potential competition concerns. The CMA recommended that its Board consider prioritising a future Strategic Market Status (SMS) investigation into cloud services under its new digital markets powers.

The Government is committed to promoting a competitive and innovative digital economy and therefore prioritised the commencement of these powers last year, alongside a clear expectation that they be used to support competition and innovation in digital markets. Neither the Secretary of State nor Ministers have discussed future SMS prioritisation decisions with the CMA. The CMA is independent of Government, and decisions on which markets to investigate are a matter for its Board alone.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has assessed the potential merits of regulatory intervention in the UK cloud market; and what steps she is taking to help reduce barriers to competition in that market.

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

In July last year, the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) cloud market investigation identified a number of potential competition concerns. The CMA recommended that its Board consider prioritising a future Strategic Market Status (SMS) investigation into cloud services under its new digital markets powers.

The Government is committed to promoting a competitive and innovative digital economy and therefore prioritised the commencement of these powers last year, alongside a clear expectation that they be used to support competition and innovation in digital markets. The CMA is independent of Government, and decisions on which markets to investigate are a matter for its Board alone.

Found: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 100 Parliament Street London SW1A 2BQ www.gov.uk/dsit

Found: Data (Use and Access) Act and oversight by the Office for Digital Identities and Attributes within DSIT

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

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

Found: For space, we are working with DSIT. We have a lot of cross- Government collaborations going on.

Found: There is a role for the Department, DSIT and for the Cabinet Office’s digital functions to drive up

Found: MoJ, DSIT 4 Ban nudification apps and other tools designed to create synthetic non-consensual intimate

Found: also want to look really closely at what a wider data centre strategy for the UK looks like, and DSIT

Found: Do they sit in the FCDO or in DSIT?

Found: We also have cyber risk with DSIT and the National Situation Centre.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment has her Department made of the effect of illegal streaming on a) the financial sustainability of UK broadcasters and b) their ability to invest in domestic content production.

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

The Government recognises that the illegal streaming of content negatively impacts the revenues of UK broadcasters, which is why we have committed in our Creative Industries Sector Plan to ensure UK intellectual property rights are the best protected in the world.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in conjunction with Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), recently announced that its funding for the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit Unit (PIPCU), hosted by the City of London Police, will continue until 2029, and strengthen their ongoing partnership in UK intellectual property enforcement. This partnership actively targets websites and platforms providing illegal access to copyrighted material, such as the illegal streaming of television content.

We want to ensure the future sustainability of the broadcasting sector so that they can continue to commission and produce high quality content in the UK. That’s why we have committed to taking action to support the sector through our implementation of the Media Act 2024. We are also considering the findings in Ofcom’s Public Service Media (PSM) Review, which includes a number of recommendations looking to support the future sustainability of public service media.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2025, to Question 73334, on Internet: Security, what guidance has the National Protective Security Authority provided on using Virtual Private Networks to other organisations than DSIT.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

A summary of the wide variety of guidance provided by the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) is available on their website at www.npsa.gov.uk.

The national technical authority for cyber security is the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

Their website ww.ncsc.gov.uk provides a range of guidance on cyber security, including on the use of virtual private networks www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/device-security-guidance/infrastructure/virtual-private-networks

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of AI adoption on the productivity and competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); and what steps they are taking to support the responsible uptake of AI tools by SMEs.

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

Adoption of Artificial Intelligence by Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) can unlock significant productivity gains. An OECD paper published last year estimates that AI could increase UK annual labour productivity growth by 1.4 to 2.7 percentage points over 10 years. This has been estimated by DSIT analysts to be equivalent to £55 billion to £140 billion economic (GVA) growth.

It is important for government to support with this, in partnership with industry. That is why the Department for Business and Trade created the SME Digital Adoption Taskforce and are working to deliver on their ten recommendations, including a series of industry roundtables and local-level pilots to tackle barriers SMEs face when adopting digital technologies including AI.

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