Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the policy implications of using copyrighted content as artificial intelligence training data.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government is carefully considering issues relating to copyright and AI, including the implications of using copyrighted content as AI training data.

The Government has launched a consultation on a package of measures to address copyright and AI issues. This will seek views and evidence of potential policy implications for the creative and AI sectors.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of copyright protection for works of art generated using artificial intelligence.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government is carefully considering issues relating to copyright and AI, such as copyright protection for AI-generated works of art.

The Government has launched a consultation on a package of measures to address copyright and AI issues. This will include seeking views on protection for the outputs of generative AI.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the State of the relationship report 2024, published by the National Centre for Universities and Business on 5 December 2024, what steps he is taking to increase the number of interactions between businesses and universities.

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

The Government incentivises university-business interactions through funding for UKRI programmes. Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF), provided through Research England is the largest source of knowledge exchange funding to English universities, providing £280 million annually to support engagement with a range of partners, including businesses. HEIF includes a £20 million contribution specifically for university-business collaboration and commercialisation. Innovate UK’s Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs)programme links businesses with technical experts in UK universities. Currently, around 800 businesses, 100 knowledge bases (universities and other research organisations) and over 800 graduates are involved in KTPs.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many alcohol industry representatives Ministers in his Department have met since July 2024.

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

Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many government procurement cards were held by staff within (a) his core Department and its predecessor departments and (b) executive agencies of those departments at the end of calendar years (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023.

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

Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT) only hold records for the core department and does not hold the requested information for 2022, as DSIT was established in February 2023. The DSIT cardholders at the end of 2023 calendar year total 35.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will hold discussions with Ofcom on the adequacy of (a) the competitiveness of pricing, (b) customer retention practices and (c) service standards in the (i) mobile and (ii) television service sector.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

I have held regular meetings with Ofcom, both on their own and with others, when these and many other issues have been discussed.

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 help (a) improve internet services for rural communities and (b) ensure that internet companies do not have monopolies in rural areas.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The government helped create a competition-friendly environment which supports over 100 providers in the UK deploying broadband in commercially viable areas. Through Project Gigabit, the government is delivering gigabit-capable broadband to UK premises that are not included in suppliers' commercial plans, predominantly in rural areas, with nearly £2 billion of contracts now secured to connect over a million more premises.

Regulating monopolies is a matter for Ofcom, the independent telecoms regulator and it can impose pro-competition remedies on providers with significant market power (SMP). Currently, Ofcom has determined that only BT Group and KCOM have SMP.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to increase the transparency in the use of artificial intelligence by public bodies.

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

The Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS) establishes a standardised way for public sector organisations to publish information about how and why they are using algorithmic tools. The ATRS is mandatory for government departments and arm’s-length bodies (ALBs), for algorithmic tools which have a significant influence on a decision-making process with public effect, or directly interact with the general public.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much their Department spent on (a) media and (b) voice training for Ministers since 5 July 2024.

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

The Department has spent no money on (a) media or (b) voice training for Ministers since 5 July 2024.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many full-time equivalent members of staff at UKRI work on (a) local and (b) regional innovation partnerships.

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

UKRI’s leadership and staff routinely engage with stakeholders across the UK. Additionally, UKRI has several teams focussed on regional engagement, including:

• Innovate UK’s place engagement team, including a Director, Deputy Director and ten full time manager positions at Innovate UK, who work with around 400 regionally-organised business growth advisers.
• EPSRC has a team of eight regional managers.
• Research England has a team of five engagement leads.
• Members of staff focused on the investment delivery of place programmes, such as the Strength in Places Fund and Innovation Accelerators.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, within what timeframe UKRI expects to deliver a future regional innovation funding programme.

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

We are developing a new local innovation funding programme to support high potential innovation clusters across the country, with delivery timelines subject to the outcome of the next phase of the Spending Review.

Our new programme will build on our experience of delivering initiatives such as the Innovation Accelerator pilots. At Budget, we announced these would be extended into 2025/26, delivering funding and bespoke support to bolster high-potential innovation clusters in Greater Manchester, Glasgow City Region, and the West Midlands.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024 , what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of including local universities in engagement between UKRI and Strategic Authorities.

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

Universities are central to generating local economic growth. As magnets for talent and investment and anchors for clusters, they create centres of research and innovation excellence across the country. Enabling partnership working between local government, universities and businesses will be at the heart of our future regional innovation funding programme.

Enabling partnership working between local government, universities and businesses will be at the heart of our future regional innovation funding programme.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of supporting non-Mayoral Strategic Authorities to increase regional innovation activity.

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

Building on our experience of delivering the UK-wide Strength in Places Fund, Innovation Accelerators and Launchpads programmes, we will develop a new local innovation funding programme that will bolster high potential clusters across the UK, including in non-Mayoral Strategic Authorities. We will work with areas that choose not to adopt the mayoral model, to increase innovation activity in regions both with and without devolution.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an estimate of the total value of investment made in research and development in the (a) public and (b) private sector in each of the last five years.

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

The Office for National Statistics routinely publishes official statistics on Gross Expenditure on Research & Development (GERD), including breakdowns of expenditure by sector. These statistics show the total value of R&D performed, for each of the past five years for which data is available (2018 – 2022), was:

Current prices (£m)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to regulate, and (2) to encourage investment and innovation in the AI sector.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

We are committed to building an AI sector that can scale and win globally, ensuring conditions are right for global AI companies to want to call the UK home. The AI Opportunities Action Plan will outline how we achieve this by securing the necessary infrastructure, talent and data access, and detailing steps to support adoption across the economy.

In the King’s Speech we committed to introducing new, binding and highly targeted requirements on the handful of companies developing the most advanced AI models. They will support growth and innovation by reducing uncertainty for AI developers and boosting public trust.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps the Government is taking against individual service users whose online deceptions cause (a) non-trivial emotional and psychological damage, and (b) fall within the scope of coercive control.

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

Individuals can be prosecuted if they commit offences online or offline. The Online Safety Act forces online platforms and search services to reduce the risk of illegal content being encountered on their services. Platforms must focus on ‘priority offences’, including content which amounts to controlling and coercive behaviour and must reduce the risk of priority offences being committed on their service. We know such offences disproportionately impact women and girls. This government has set an unprecedented mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. We will explore further measures as needed.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2024 to Question 12891 on Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Ministers' Private Offices, how much the Government Property Agency spent on (a) new furniture and fittings and (b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and its predecessor Departments between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024; and on what items.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government Property Agency confirmed £24,315.62 excluding VAT was spent during the period 4th July 2022 to 4th July 2024 on new furniture and fittings plus other refurbishment (including moves) This is broken down as follows;

• New Furniture and Fittings - £526.87

• Other Refurbishment of Ministerial Offices including moves - £23,788.75

The full itemised list can be found below:

(a) new furniture and fittings

Covering the period from the creation of DSIT, as announced by the Prime Minister on 7 February 2023 to 4 July 2024:

• Date reference: 01/03/2023

• What: Supply and installation of 4x key safe for private offices

• How much: £302.89 ex VAT

• Note: 1x key safe out of these 4 key safes was for the DSIT Permanent Secretary’s room (not ministerial) - however, we are not able to separate the cost of this from the overall costs for these fittings and works as a whole

• Date reference: 02/02/2024

• What: Supply and installation of key safe for private office

• How much: £68.25 ex VAT

• Date reference: 02/04/2024

• What: Installation of portrait of HM The King at ministerial offices

• How much: £51.91 ex VAT

• Note: Portrait was supplied under the government's His Majesty The King's Portrait Scheme

• Date reference: 16/04/2024

• What: Installation of a heavy duty key safe for private office

• How much: £103.82 ex VAT

(b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices

Covering the period from the creation of DSIT, as announced by the Prime Minister on 7 February 2023 to 4 July 2024:

• Date reference: 26/7/2023

• What: Removal of whiteboards from wall, repair and redecoration (repainting) of damaged wall in ministerial office

• How much: £472.98 ex VAT

• Date reference: 7/8/2023

• What: Churn of furniture (relocation, repositioning, removal of furniture to storeroom and installing furniture from storeroom) in private offices

• How much: £311.47 ex VAT

• Date reference: 16/11/2023

• What: Churn of furniture (removal of furniture to storeroom and installing replacement furniture, reused from separate office) in ministerial office

• How much: £415.30 ex VAT

• Date reference: 15/12/2023

• What: Major churn of furniture (internal movement and relocation of furniture to move ministerial teams to different rooms from previous rooms) of ministerial and private offices

• How much: £13,661.92 ex VAT

• Date reference: 19/1/2024

• Removal of noticeboards and relocation of artwork, repair and redecoration (repainting) of damaged walls in 2x ministerial rooms

• How much: £1,855.57 ex VAT

• Date reference: 12/04/2024

• Removal of whiteboards from 3x walls, repair and redecoration (repainting) of damaged walls in ministerial office

• How much: £2,249.52 ex VAT

• Date reference: 21/06/2024

• What: Redecoration (repainting) of ministerial office

• How much: £1,539.77 ex VAT

• Note: Works completed prior to 4 July 2024

• Date reference: 27/06/2024

• What: Redecoration (repainting) of ministerial office, and installation of 7 pictures throughout ministerial office and private office

• How much: £3,281.99

• Note: Works completed prior to 4 July 2024

During this period DSIT was originally part of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) which was dissolved on 7th February 2023 and split into DESNZ, DSIT and DBT. As a result of this, the former BEIS departments were moved out of 1 Victoria Street and into different buildings. The GPA has no record of any ministerial furniture or refurbishment expenditure at the former BEIS office (1 Victoria Street) during the requested period.

Found: Infrastructure, Northern Ireland DfT Department for Transport DNP Ministry of National Planning DSIT

Found: The Agency is an executive agency of DSIT, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology with