Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department (a) maintains and (b) plans to maintain a register of AI systems across government.

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

The Government Digital Service is implementing the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS), which provides a standardised way for departments and arm’s length bodies to publish information about algorithmic tools they use that significantly influence decisions or interact with the public. ATRS records are published in a central repository on GOV.UK, and more records are being added regularly as part of a phased mandatory rollout across government, providing a cross‑government mechanism to maintain and expand transparency over these systems.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what plans her Department has to support the development of satellite based internet to help improve rural broadband connectivity in West Sussex.

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

Government is committed to delivering gigabit coverage to 99% of UK premises by 2032 and will continue to consider what it can do to further enable alternatives to fibre connections for premises located in very hard-to-reach areas.

The Government also works closely with Ofcom to ensure that spectrum management and licensing arrangements support the deployment of satellite broadband services, including through appropriate authorisation of satellite networks and earth stations.

The Government Alpha trials, which ended in March 2025, tested the capability of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology to deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity in remote locations. The Government also ran a pilot through the Rural Connectivity Accelerator which combined satellite and wireless technologies to support connectivity needs in remote areas.

The satellite market is developing at pace, with further entrants and significant changes to terminal equipment, speeds and the cost of service packages. We continue to monitor and support the development of this market.

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 encourage alternative providers to use the broadband infrastructure installed by Freedom Fibre in North Shropshire constituency.

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

As part of Project Gigabit, Freedom Fibre delivered gigabit-capable broadband to approximately 1,900 premises in North Shropshire constituency. All infrastructure assets deployed through Building Digital UK (BDUK) subsidy have to be made available to other providers, as this is a contract obligation. BDUK undertook a market consultation with suppliers across England and Wales on their interest and capability for further delivery and is now following up with suppliers on the potential for further projects through the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, utilising existing available infrastructure wherever possible.

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 trends in the level of foreign acquisition of UK technology companies in the last five years.

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

International deals have remained constant at around 60% of total merger and acquisition activity since 2021, with a greater concentration in innovation-driven fields.

Whilst this brings significant inward investment and unlocks funds to be reinvested back into our innovation ecosystem, Government is also taking steps to increase capital available from UK sources so that companies have the option to scale, grow and list in the UK. Measures taken to support this include increasing capitalisation of the British Business Bank and National Wealth Fund, launching a new Listings Taskforce, ongoing pensions reforms, and wider measures set out in the Entrepreneurship Prospectus.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, further to the three month consultation announced by the government on further measures to keep children safe online, how many full-time equivalent officials she has assigned to this consultation.

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

In order to ensure that the consultation considers all arguments and views, we are drawing on expertise from across the department and from a variety of different teams as necessary. This means that an accurate estimation in terms of FTE is not possible.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with Ofcom on improving media literacy among parents and children.

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

The Online Safety Act updated Ofcom’s statutory duty to promote media literacy, including by raising awareness and understanding of misinformation and harmful content, especially where it affects vulnerable groups. The Secretary of State maintains regular, constructive engagement with Ofcom on delivery of its obligations.

Both Ofcom and DSIT are taking steps to improve media literacy among parents and carers and are working closely to ensure our approaches are complementary.

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 institutions in the period before UK Research and Innovation budget allocations are determined.

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

In December, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) set out how it will deliver its record £38.6 billion funding allocation over the next four years. This is part of the largest ever investment in R&D made by any UK government (£86 billion up to 2029/30) and will help drive new scientific breakthroughs, help create new industries and grow businesses faster, and deliver the growth we need for good jobs and better lives.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has been in active dialogue with UKRI to ensure that any implications from funding decisions are fully understood and that they reflect both the UK’s strategic research priorities and its global commitments. DSIT has asked UKRI to ensure that its final allocations are informed by meaningful consultation with the research community and a robust assessment of potential consequences for the UK’s scientific capability.

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 promote media literacy among child users.

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

Supporting parents and children is central to our media literacy approach. On 10 February, DSIT launched a pilot media literacy communications campaign to give parents tools to help children build resilience and critical thinking skills online. A new Online Safety hub, developed with DfE, will provide everyone in the UK with clear guidance on media literacy and online safety.

Under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom has a media literacy strategy that prioritises support for children and families, especially those with additional needs.

In formal education, the Department for Education has committed to strengthening media literacy in the updated national curriculum.

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 Cabinet colleagues on the impact of (a) VAT and (b) other taxation on the viability of the life sciences sector.

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

The Secretary of State has regular engagement with relevant colleagues on the UK business environment for life sciences sector, to drive the growth of the sector and support the delivery of the Life Sciences Sector Plan.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the expansion of agentic AI tools in UK legal and professional services; and how this is informing policy on (1) innovation, (2) professional standards and (3) ethical AI use.

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

We remain committed to ensuring the trusted and fair use of AI and to facilitating impactful AI adoption across the UK, so that British workers - including those in legal services - can seize the benefits this technology offers.

To support this, the AI Growth Lab will act as a cross‑economy AI sandbox, enabling responsible AI products and services to be deployed under close supervision in live markets. This will drive cross‑economy growth, build trust in new technologies, and create a mechanism for dynamic, evidence‑led regulatory reform.

Alongside this, the Roadmap to Trusted Third‑Party AI Assurance sets out the Government’s ambitions for the UK’s AI assurance market and the immediate actions we are taking to help the sector mature. This includes establishing the £11 million AI Assurance Innovation Fund and convening a national consortium of expert stakeholders to support the quality and growth of the assurance market.

In addition, the Government has established the cross‑government AI and Future of Work Unit to monitor how advanced AI tools are reshaping professional work, ensure innovation is supported responsibly, and coordinate policy so that workers and businesses can adopt these technologies safely and effectively.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps Ofcom is taking to help tackle websites that provide instructions on committing suicide.

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

The Online Safety Act requires in-scope 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.

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

Ofcom has also established a dedicated small but risky supervision taskforce, focusing on small services posing the most severe risk of harm.

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 effectiveness of the Online Safety Act 2023 in protecting children from harm on online gaming platforms, including Roblox; and whether she plans to undertake a review of the Act’s application to such platforms.

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

Gaming platforms that allow users to post or interact, such as Roblox, are in scope of the Online Safety Act. They are required to protect children from illegal and harmful content on their service, including using highly effective age assurance to prevent children encountering the most harmful types of content.

Ofcom is the regulator of the Act and has powers to take robust enforcement action. Ofcom has already used these powers, effectively enforcing against non-compliant services.

We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the Act, and on 20 January, the government announced a short, swift consultation on further measures to enhance children's wellbeing and ensuring they have a healthy relationship with social media accompanied by a national conversation.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reported growth in demand for ethical AI and technology skills in UK financial services; and how this is informing (1) workforce policy, and (2) regulatory policy.

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

Government is taking significant steps to expand skills and training in ethical and responsible AI. In January, further public and private sector partners joined the AI Skills Boost, increasing our ambition to upskill 10 million workers by 2030. More than 1 million AI upskilling courses have already been delivered since last summer, helping ensure UK workers - including those in financial services - have access to high‑quality training in the safe and ethical use of AI.

To complement this, the Government has established the cross‑government AI and Future of Work Unit to monitor how advanced AI tools are reshaping professional work, ensure innovation is supported responsibly, and coordinate policy so that workers and businesses can adopt these technologies safely.

We have also concluded a Call for Evidence on proposals for the AI Growth Lab, a cross‑economy AI sandbox that would allow responsible AI products and services to be tested under close supervision in live markets, building trust and supporting economic growth. Alongside this, the FCA’s Supercharged Sandbox and AI Live Testing service provide firms with enhanced access to computing, data and safe real‑world testing environments, enabling the responsible use of AI across UK financial markets.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to make nationally owned public-sector data available for ethical and secure use in AI development to support innovation and public service delivery.

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

As set out in the AI Opportunities Action Plan and the Modern Industrial Strategy, the Government is committed to treating public sector data as a strategic national asset and unlocking high-impact public datasets for AI use.

The Government recently published an update outlining the significant progress made on the Action Plan with 38 of its 50 commitments delivered against in 12 months.

This update demonstrated that 6 of the 7 data recommendations have been delivered – this includes the publishing of best practice guidance on how to make public sector datasets ready for AI (R09), and details on the delivery of ‘kickstarter’ projects making high-impact datasets available to AI researchers and innovators (R07).

DSIT have also launched an open call to understand the opportunities for public sector data among businesses, researchers and public bodies.

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 AI companies embed safety-by-design principles in generative AI products.

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

The Online Safety Act places duties on many AI services to make them more responsible for their users’ safety. The Secretary of State tasked officials to review how the Act covers chatbots and has said government will act to fill any gaps in the Act.

The AI Security Institute works closely with AI developers to understand potential risks from AI and develop mitigations. The Institute’s research is making AI models safer, with findings being used by industry to strengthen AI model safeguards.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate he has made of the number of UK-trained scientists who have left the UK workforce following redundancies in the pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors over the past 15 years.

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

Government has not made an estimate of the number of UK-trained scientists who have left the workforce following redundancies in these sectors over the past 15-years. Over that period there have been both redundancies and the start of many new companies.

Life Sciences is a vibrant and growing sector supported by the recently published Life Sciences Sector Plan and over £2 billion of government investment. Skills England estimate that employment could increase by up to 100,000 by 2030 if past growth trends continue.

The Office for Life Sciences is working with Government colleagues and sector stakeholders to ensure access to a domestic pipeline of skilled workers. This includes support for RESILIENCE, the UK Medicines Manufacturing Skills Centre of Excellence.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Artificial Intelligence Security Institute completed a risk assessment of xAI’s Grok code before it was released to the public.

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

The AI Security Institute regularly test models across leading labs. While we do not provide a running commentary on which models we test due to commercial and security reasons, it actively works with labs to improve safeguards when vulnerabilities have been identified.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Artificial Intelligence Security Institute assessed xAI’s Grok for harms prior to launch.

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

The AI Security Institute regularly test models across leading labs. While we do not provide a running commentary on which models we test due to commercial and security reasons, it actively works with labs to improve safeguards when vulnerabilities have been identified.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has made plans for potential uses of the Isambard supercomputer.

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

This government is committed to harnessing the power of compute to enable innovations that will deliver growth and opportunity and for people across the UK.

The AI Research Resource (AIRR) is now live and is free to use for the UK’s scientists, public sector organisations, and start-ups and SMEs. It is made up of two supercomputers: Dawn at Cambridge, and Isambard-AI in Bristol – one of the world’s top 10 public supercomputers and the 4^th greenest in the world. As of last month, more than 350 projects are actively running on the Isambard-AI supercomputer.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of recent UK Research and Innovation and The Science and Technology Facilities Council's decisions to reduce funding for particle physics, nuclear physics and astronomy on (a) the training and retention of highly skilled graduates and (b) the UK’s long-term economic growth, scientific capability and international standing.

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

DSIT and UKRI remain committed to international scientific collaboration, and UKRI’s record £38.6 billion settlement over the Spending Review will support areas including talent, scientific capability and international collaboration, including £14 billion in curiosity-driven research that underpins long-term economic growth.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) within UKRI is currently consulting with the scientific community about spending priorities within their settlement ahead of determining final allocations. No final spending decisions have been made.

Due to a rising cost base, choices are required to put the council on a financially sustainable footing. As part of this consultation, STFC is working with the sector to model scenarios for its portfolio in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics. The impacts of these different spending scenarios will be considered alongside feedback from the sector when taking final decisions.

UKRI’s CEO Sir Ian Chapman has confirmed that STFC’s core budget will hold relatively flat from £835 million to £842 million over the Spending Review period. Applicant-led research in STFC will increase from £83 million in 2026/27 to £90 million by 2029/30. As legacy commitments/awards come to their conclusion, headroom will also open up for UKRI-funded research and innovation under its government and societal priorities allocation which is open for competition.

Separately, informed by independent expert advice from UKRI’s Infrastructure Advisory Committee in late December, UKRI decided to stop several Infrastructure Fund projects, including some international projects in particle physics. These decisions have enabled UKRI to continue investing in other essential projects that seek to strengthen scientific capability and attract private investment.

DSIT has been in active dialogue with UKRI to ensure that any implications from funding decisions are fully understood and that they reflect both the UK’s strategic research priorities and its global commitments. DSIT has asked UKRI to ensure that its final allocations are informed by meaningful consultation with the 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, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of plans to replace the copper wire communications network in Surrey.

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

The Government is committed to ensure that any risks arising from the industry-led migration of the analogue Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to digital Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are mitigated for all customers across the UK, including Surrey. There are 3.6 million remaining PSTN lines. Down from over 35 million PSTN lines at the network’s peak.

Communication providers and network operators signed voluntary charters in December 2023 and March 2024, committing to protect consumers during the PSTN switch-off, including the vulnerable. In November 2024, major communication providers agreed to further safeguards. These include timely and repeated communications, signing data sharing agreements with local authorities to identify telecare customers, a free engineer visit, and a battery back-up solution, if needed.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report Cost-Benefit Analysis of Synthetic Nucleic Acid Screening for the UK, published in December 2025 by The Centre for Long-Term Resilience.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

DSIT regularly engages the Centre for Long-Term Resilience (CLTR), including through their membership of the Engineering Biology Responsible Innovation Advisory Panel. CLTR was invited to present this Cost-Benefit Analysis to DSIT and members of the Advisory Panel in January 2026.

DSIT agrees that synthetic nucleic acids are a core building block of the UK’s bioeconomy and this is why we published voluntary guidance on Synthetic Nucleic Acid Screening in 2024. DSIT continues to monitor uptake of this voluntary guidance and assess its impact and effectiveness.

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 businesses undertaking a transition to digital services, such as BT’s transition to Digital Voice, have considered the potential impact of this action on vulnerable and elderly individuals.

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

The Government is committed to ensure that any risks arising from the industry-led migration of the analogue Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to digital Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are mitigated for all customers across the UK.

Government secured safeguards for customers through the PSTN Charter in December 2023 and the Non‑Voluntary Migrations Checklist in November 2024. Major communication providers committed to a number of measures to protect customers, including signing data sharing agreements with local authorities to identify telecare customers, timely and repeated communications, a free engineer visit, and a battery back-up solution, if needed.

In addition to existing safeguards, any vulnerable customers (including the elderly) can self-identify to receive additional support from their provider as set out in the GOV.UK Supported Journeys Guidance when their landline is upgraded.

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 businesses switching to digital services, such as BT’s transition to Digital Voice, communicate these changes appropriately with customers.

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

The Government is committed to ensure that any risks arising from the industry-led migration of the analogue Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to digital Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are mitigated for all customers across the UK.

Government secured safeguards for customers through the PSTN Charter in December 2023 and the Non‑Voluntary Migrations Checklist in November 2024. Major communication providers committed to a number of measures to protect customers, including signing data sharing agreements with local authorities to identify telecare customers, timely and repeated communications, a free engineer visit, and a battery back-up solution, if needed.

In addition to existing safeguards, any vulnerable customers (including the elderly) can self-identify to receive additional support from their provider as set out in the GOV.UK Supported Journeys Guidance when their landline is upgraded.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the deadline for applications for the appointment of the Chair of Ofcom was set for either (a) 18 December 2025 or (b) 5 January 2026.

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

The advert for applications was launched on 17 November 2025, with a deadline of 18 December 2025. On 17 December, the application deadline was extended until 5 January 2026, and the advert on gov.uk was amended to reflect this change.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that partnerships with AI companies to develop pilot tools for Gov.uk services deliver benefits for users while protecting data privacy.

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

His Majesty’s Government is implementing artificial intelligence partnerships through a phased, test-and-learn approach that embeds data protection from the outset while testing transformational capabilities before committing significant public funds.

Working with the Commercial Innovation Hub, the Government has developed procurement approaches tailored to AI’s unique characteristics, including the National AI Tender for GOV.UK and the Planning Transformation Accelerator for AI-assisted decision-making, ensuring procurement methods are appropriate for evaluating frontier technologies.

All procurement frameworks require GDPR compliance as a mandatory qualification criterion, with partnerships operating under the UK Data Protection Act 2018 and comprehensive privacy-by-design principles. Pilots are deployed in controlled environments with oversight from departmental information security teams and data protection officers, with government retaining intellectual property ownership to prevent vendor lock-in.

Decisions to scale are contingent on pilots demonstrating measurable user benefits and full compliance with data protection standards through defined evaluation criteria and contractual break clauses, ensuring AI capabilities can be advanced while maintaining robust privacy safeguards.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support UK companies to improve cybersecurity.

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

Improving the cyber security of UK companies is critical to the resilience of our wider economy and is a priority for the government.

The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will improve UK cyber defences and help protect our essential services. Our product security legislation and cyber security codes of practice are helping to ensure the technology people and businesses use is secure by design. We are also developing and growing the cyber security industrial base and skills pipeline to ensure companies have access to the services and capabilities they need. Together these system-wide measures aim to drive a step change in supporting companies across the economy to improve their cyber resilience.

In addition, the government wrote to the Chairs and CEOs of leading UK companies and asked them to better identify and protect themselves from cyber threats by making cyber a board-level priority by using the Cyber Governance Code of Practice, signing up to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Early Warning service, and requiring Cyber Essentials in their supply chains.

These actions are relevant to all businesses. To support them further, the government has developed a wide range of free resources, including the Cyber Action Toolkit offering tailored advice for small businesses, and NCSC-certified Cyber Advisors who provide advice and guidance on commercial terms, with SMEs eligible for a free 30-minute consultation.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many investigations Ofcom has commenced under the Online Safety Act 2023 in relation to regulated user-to-user services as defined in that Act; how many penalties have so far been imposed as a result; and how many of the fines imposed have been paid.

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

Ofcom, as the independent regulator for online safety, publishes information on its website about the enforcement action it takes, including details of the investigations it has opened into potential breaches of online safety duties. As a result of this work, Ofcom has exercised its powers to issue financial sanctions in several cases, with at least one regulated service having already paid its fine.

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 AI on trends in the level of employment in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

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

This Government’s recognise that AI is transforming workplaces, demanding new skills and augmenting existing roles, however the future scale of change remains uncertain.

We are planning against a range of plausible outcomes to ensure workers continue to have access to good, meaningful employment.

To support this, we have established the AI and the Future of Work Unit, which will provide robust analysis and evidence on the impact of AI on the labour market. The Unit will coordinate action across government, ensuring our principles are delivered through practical help and support for workers and employers.

As is the case with all new technologies, AI also presents significant opportunities for the labour market. For example, our AI Growth Zones are creating over 15,000 jobs. We are also providing free AI training for all and will provide 10 million workers with essential AI skills by 2030, with the aim to make the UK the fastest adopting AI country in the G7.

Through these initiatives and others, we will drive economic opportunity and support workers to adapt and thrive in workplaces across the UK, including Surrey and Surrey Heath.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress her Department has made on the rollout of gigabit broadband in Surrey Heath constituency.

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

According to Ofcom’s Connected Nations 2025 report, more than 84% of premises in Surrey Heath constituency have access to a gigabit capable connection, slightly below the national average of 86%.

As part of Project Gigabit, Openreach is delivering a contract across Surrey, delivering gigabit-capable broadband to premises not included in suppliers’ commercial rollout plans. Of the approximately 1,950 premises in Surrey Heath constituency included within this contract, approximately 610 have now received access to a gigabit-capable connection.

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 ensure that job applicants with protected characteristics are not discriminated against when AI is used to assess applications.

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

The Government is committed to removing barriers to AI adoption, unlocking new opportunities, and ensuring that equality is embedded at the heart of every mission. We want AI to work for everyone, and that means supporting innovation while ensuring technologies are fair, inclusive and accessible.

We have published 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.

As highlighted in the AI Opportunities Action Plan: One Year On, we have taken steps to build the AI assurance ecosystem that underpins safe and responsible use of AI. This includes establishing a new Centre for AI Measurement at the National Physical Laboratory, designed to accelerate the development of secure, transparent and trustworthy AI.

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 (a) Leicester and (b) the East Midlands benefit from national investment in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.

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

The Government is putting technology at the heart of our mission to grow the UK economy.

We are launching a £250 million procurement to expand the AI Research Resource, giving UK researchers and businesses free access to cutting‑edge compute so every region can benefit from nationwide innovation.

The Government is also expanding access to free AI skills training, available to all adults across the UK, that aims to equip 10 million workers with practical AI skills by 2030, ensuring people and businesses in every region can take advantage of new technologies.

Alone, Leicester City Council received £35,391.97 from the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund for its ‘Let’s Get Digital’ project, which will help 150 peoples, this will build digital confidence for social inclusion, reducing service dependency and improving economic outcomes.

The Government is also supporting UK medicine and med‑tech manufacturing through the £520 million Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund, bringing high‑value jobs to regions like the East Midlands, strengthening supply chains, and securing over £30 million of new investment.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of AI adoption in the UK on the labour market; and what plans they have to support workers affected by technological change.

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

We recognise that AI is transforming workplaces, demanding new skills and augmenting existing roles, although the future scale of change remains uncertain. This Government is planning against a range of plausible outcomes to ensure workers continue to have access to good, meaningful employment.

To support this work, the Government has established a new Future of Work Unit in DSIT. The Unit will provide robust analysis and evidence on the impact of AI on the labour market and will coordinate action across government, ensuring our principles are delivered through practical help and support for workers and employers.

At the same time, AI presents significant opportunities for the labour market. Around 35% of UK jobs predicted to benefit from productivity gains through AI adoption. Through the AI Opportunities Action Plan, we have committed to upskilling 10 million workers in essential AI skills by 2030. This will support workers to adapt and thrive in workplaces where AI tools are increasingly widespread.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the regulatory and consumer protection implications of the use of AI as financial guidance tools; and what safeguards they are putting in place to protect consumers.

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

The Government aims for the UK to be a global leader in AI, using our strengths in financial services and AI to boost growth, productivity and consumer benefits. Safe adoption is central to this.

Organisations must handle personal data fairly, lawfully, transparently and securely, with individuals retaining rights such as access, correction and deletion.

The Financial Conduct Authority is also acting in this space, including publishing guidance for consumers on using AI tools for investment research and highlighting risks like inaccurate or outdated information.

The FCA’s Supercharged Sandbox and AI Live Testing service give firms access to computing, data and safe real‑world environments to support responsible AI use in UK financial markets.

More broadly, the Government recognises that people often lack the support they need when making financial decisions. To improve this, we are introducing a new targeted support regime enabling trusted firms to suggest suitable products or actions based on a customer’s circumstances. Targeted Support will launch in April 2026.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many nights were spent in hotels by Departmental staff in financial year 2024-25 by the star rating of the hotel.

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

The Department uses a travel management company to book hotel accommodation for staff. The star rating of the hotel is not recorded but the nightly cost of hotel accommodation has maximum cost levels set and are only breached when there is no suitable accommodation available within these limits.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to SOPS 1.1 in the Department's 2024-25 Annual Report, if she will publish a breakdown of the £209,590,000 in gross spend on D) Capability in 2024-25; and for what reasons that figure has increased from the equivalent of £118,965,000 in 2019-20 in the equivalent Common Core table of the 2023-4 Annual Report.

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

The 2024-25 outturn for Capability gross administration costs is broken down as below:

*As one of DSIT’s major projects, Matrix programme costs have been presented separately i.e. deducted from other totals above.

To note that DSIT was established in February 2023, whereas the reported 2019-20 value is an assumptions‑based apportionment for a department that did not exist at the time; as such the two figures are not directly comparable.

Since the establishment of DSIT, there have been further several structural and operational changes including a further Machinery of Government change during 2024-25, which transferred Government Digital Service (GDS) policy responsibilities from the Cabinet Office to DSIT, increasing the size and scope of the department. New policy areas and programmes have also been established in this period, including the Matrix programme. Collectively, these factors, along with inflationary increases, have contributed to the higher costs recorded within the DSIT Capability line.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what information does her Department hold on the number of occasions that Ministers from her Department met with representatives from MBR Acres since 5 July 2024.

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

The Department has held three Ministerial meetings with MBR since 5 July 2024. All meetings were attended by Minister Vallance. The first took place on 18 July 2025 as part of a wider meeting with Contract Research Organisations (CROs). Further meetings were held on 17 September 2025 and also on 2 October 2025.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the opportunities for the growth of the London insurance market and emerging services relating to operations by the space sector; and whether they plan to bring forward proposals for a reduction of operators’ regulatory compliance costs.

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

The Government recognises the importance of the London insurance market as the global leader in space insurance. It is looking at options to further support its growth and future development of emerging services, such as Active Debris Removal. The Government is committed to driving growth and innovation through regulation. It is currently consulting on a range of regulatory financial tools for growth of both the orbital operations and insurance sectors, and intends to set out its latest thinking shortly. These measures will contribute to a reduction of operators’ regulatory administrative costs in line with the Prime Minister’s target of a 25% reduction across sectors by 2030.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve access to AI computing capacity for UK researchers, start-ups and businesses.

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

This government is committed to harnessing the power of compute to enable innovations that will deliver growth and opportunity and for people across the UK.

The AI Research Resource (AIRR) is now live and is free to use for the UK’s scientists, public sector organisations, and start-ups and SMEs. It is made up of two supercomputers: Dawn at Cambridge, and Isambard-AI in Bristol – one of the world’s top 10 public supercomputers and the 4th greenest in the world.

DSIT are investing up to £2 billion in public compute until 2030. This includes expanding our AI Research Resource twentyfold by 2030. As part of this, HMG recently announced a £36 million investment to expand Cambridge’s DAWN supercomputer sixfold by spring 2026. These investments will provide UK researchers and start‑ups free access to world‑class AI compute, enabling breakthroughs in areas such as personalised medicine, climate modelling and more efficient public services.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 5 September 2025 (HL Deb col 1118), what steps they have taken to consult the space sector on proposals to revise how the limit of operator liability is determined for satellite operations.

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

The Government is committed to driving growth and innovation through regulation. It is currently consulting with the space sector on options to revise how the limit of operator liability is determined for satellite operations, as part of development of a wider set of regulatory financial tools to support the growth of the UK’s orbital operations sector.

The Government intends to set out its latest thinking to the sector shortly in response to the feedback received. These measures will contribute to a reduction of operators’ regulatory administrative costs in line with the Prime Minister’s target of a 25% reduction across sectors by 2030.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the investment in vaccines for gingivitis or periodontitis by UK Research and Innovation.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Medical Research Council (MRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), is not currently funding any research into vaccines for gingivitis or periodontitis. MRC invests more broadly in dental and oral health research, including some periodontitis research, to aid its detection and treatment.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the 85 per cent increase in AI companies in the UK between 2023 and 2025; and what steps they are taking to support sustainable and regionally balanced growth in the AI sector.

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

AI is a central focus of the Government’s economic and innovation priorities.

Due to data lags, 2025 AI Sector size is not currently available but will be released later this year in the 2025 AI Sector Study. Our most recent analysis highlights that between 2022 and 2024, the number of AI firms operating in the UK increased from 3,170 to 5,863, an 85% rise. This reflects both the strength of the UK’s AI investment environment, which is the highest in Europe, and ongoing work across Government to support safe and effective AI adoption.

Key policies continuing to drive this growth include the launch of the AI Opportunities Action Plan — with 38 of its 50 recommendations already in progress. This includes the development of five AI Growth Zones across England, Scotland and Wales, and initiatives such as the AI Skills Hub and support for employers to upskill 10 million workers so they can thrive in an AI‑enabled economy, as well as the Barnsley Tech Town programme.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to eliminate total not-spots through the Shared Rural Network; and what assessment they have made of whether the current delivery model is sufficient to achieve the elimination of total not-spots in the most rural areas.

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

The Shared Rural Network (SRN) has already delivered its core objective, 4G mobile coverage from at least one mobile network operator to 95% of UK landmass, a year ahead of schedule. However, there are still rural areas of the UK where there is either limited or no mobile coverage, and the SRN continues to deliver new coverage to these communities. We have already upgraded 110 of 190 Home Office masts and activated the first of up to 44 new total not-spot masts which are already delivering new 4G coverage in the most rural areas. While the SRN will not remove every total not spot, it is designed to deliver coverage where it will have the greatest benefit, primarily where people live, work and travel. On this basis, Government assesses that the current delivery model is a proportionate and cost-effective way of addressing the majority of connectivity gaps in rural areas while ensuring value for public money.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the life sciences sector on the application of VAT on medicines supplied free-of-charge via EAMS and other compassionate access schemes.

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

The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology regularly engages with representatives of the life sciences sector. The issue of the application of VAT on medicines supplied free-of-charge via Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS) and other compassionate access schemes has been raised with Ministers.

Application of VAT is determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the nature of the supply. This includes medicines or treatments provided for free under the EAMS.

In certain circumstances the giving of goods away for free can be outside the scope of VAT. Where the supply is within the scope of VAT a relief may apply, meaning the supply can be made VAT free.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether (a) she or (b) any members of her Department met or corresponded with Lord Mandelson on Palantir.

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

We utilise a range of international suppliers based on operational requirements, value for money, and compliance with our security and legal obligations, with all suppliers subject to rigorous due diligence.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many projected jobs for each AI Growth Zone are (a) tied to building and construction of data centres, (b) permanent on-site operational jobs in data centres, (c) data-centre roles that can be done remotely either (i) within the UK or (ii) overseas and (d) other jobs that are expected to be created indirectly in the area.

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

Through AI Growth Zones (AIGZs), we aim to crowd-in tens of billions of pounds in private investment and drive growth, with AIGZs announced so far expected to create over 15,000 jobs.

AIGZs are designed to accelerate data‑centre build‑out and attract substantial private investment, creating construction roles, permanent operational jobs, and wider indirect employment through supply‑chain growth and skills pathways. Each AI Growth Zone will also receive £5 million to support local AI adoption and upskilling, helping ensure communities benefit directly from new opportunities.

Five AI Growth Zones have been designated to date, all expected to contribute to regional regeneration and the UK’s long‑term compute capacity. We do not make specific assumptions about the nature or geographical nature of jobs indirectly related to AI Growth Zones.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the increase in technology company incorporations in the UK in 2025; and what impact that increase is having on their policies for regional economic development and tech entrepreneurship.

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

This Government welcomes the increase in technology company incorporations in the UK in 2025, which reflects the strength of the UK’s tech ecosystem and growing levels of tech entrepreneurship across the country. We are encouraged that new tech businesses are being founded across UK regions and cities, supporting local growth, attracting investment, and helping to build strong regional tech and innovation clusters beyond London. And we are committed to removing barriers to growth for startups across the UK – ensuring the UK is one of the best places for tech companies to start, scale and stay.

We are supporting regional economic development through measures such as the Regional Tech Booster, a programme supporting startups and accelerating tech clusters beyond London. Partnerships across the UK have bid for up to £20 million through our Local Innovation Partnerships Fund - a new £500 million UKRI-led programme to grow regional strengths including those in the digital and technology sector.

We are supporting tech entrepreneurship and the sector through venture capital schemes, R&D tax reliefs, targeted visa routes, the AI Opportunities Action Plan, and by streamlining regulation to support innovation. We are investing in skills, compute, and designated AI Growth Zones; on R&D, we are committing £38.6 billion to UKRI over five years; and powering entrepreneurship through the Entrepreneurship Prospectus, Enterprise Fellowships, and Innovate UK’s £130 million Growth Catalyst.

We are also unlocking finance via pension and capital‑markets reforms, while the British Business Bank increases annual investment to £2.5bn and commits £5bn to growth‑stage funds.

Together, these measures set out a comprehensive, long‑term plan, backed by record funding, to support tech entrepreneurship and drive economic growth across all regions of the UK.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of cybersecurity legislation for AI-associated cyber threats; and what steps they are taking to improve legislation to address those threats.

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

A range of existing rules already apply to artificial intelligence (AI) systems, such as data protection, competition, equality legislation, and online safety. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), in close collaboration with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), has created a voluntary Software Security Code of Practice which enables software vendors to secure software at all stages of their lifecycle.

As a government, we have also committed through the AI Action Plan to work with regulators to boost their capabilities, and DSIT and NCSC have taken a leading role in the development of the world's first published global standard for AI cyber security in ETSI (EN 304 223), which sets minimum-security requirements to help secure AI models and systems.

The Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill does not specifically bring large language models or AI companies into scope. However, where organisations in scope of the Bill use AI models and systems, that organisation will need to take appropriate and proportionate steps to manage the risks to these from hackers. This would include large language models which are used as part of the day-to-day software available to staff in a hospital.

The practices recommended to protect against AI-driven cyber threats are essentially the same as those recommended for protecting against “traditional” cyber threats, which are to get good cyber hygiene measures in place, such as using the government’s Cyber Essentials scheme, and managing digital risks by using the Cyber Governance Code of Practice.

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 with Cabinet colleagues to monitor changes in (a) job numbers, (b) job quality and (c) skill requirements across sectors affected by the adoption of artificial intelligence; and what steps she is taking to track the labour-market effects of artificial intelligence adoption on (i) regions (ii) industries and (iii) income groups.

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

The Government recognises that AI is transforming workplaces, demanding new skills and augmenting existing roles. The scale of future change remains uncertain. We are therefore planning against a range of plausible outcomes to ensure workers continue to have access to good, meaningful employment.

This includes our recent announcement establishing the AI and the Future of Work Unit. The Unit will provide robust analysis and evidence on the impact of AI on the labour market. For example, our recent assessment of AI capabilities and their impact on the UK labour market evaluates trends in AI driven productivity gains and workforce exposure to AI. The Unit will also coordinate action across government, ensuring our principles are delivered through practical help and support for workers and employers.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress she has made on the digitalisation of Government services.

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

In January, we published A roadmap for modern digital government, which brings together many of the most important digitisation initiatives across the public sector, including work to digitise key health services through the NHS App, expand Making Tax Digital, and develop a streamlined digital border and immigration system. Joining up public services is at the heart of this roadmap, which aims to make interactions with government simpler, faster, and more personal.

However, we have already made significant progress in expanding digital pathways and transforming public services.

Since its launch in July 2025, the GOV.UK app has been downloaded 360,000 times. Additionally, GOV.UK One Login is steadily growing: 15 million people have verified their identity, allowing them to access 122 government services, with more being added regularly. Through the GOV.UK Wallet, we’ve rolled out Digital Veteran Cards, providing nearly two million veterans with phone-based proof of status, and mobile driving licences are currently in development.

The government is also exploring ways to transform delivery with AI, such as through the Prime Minister’s AI Exemplars, a suite of AI-enabled tools used to save time and increase productivity by digitising processes across education, health, probation, and planning services.

Alongside the roadmap, we launched CustomerFirst, a new unit designed to drive end-to-end service transformation and improve the customer offering across government. It is already partnering with the DVLA, helping them to radically rethink how they handle millions of customer interactions each year across motoring 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 her Department's (a) capital investment exposure to, (b) potential capital spending requirements resulting from and (c) overall investment portfolio resilience from an equity price correction in US stock markets.

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

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) does not hold any direct capital investments in companies listed on US equity markets.

DSIT’s capital portfolio consists of investments approved on a case‑by‑case basis against agreed criteria, and is primarily focused on UK‑based research, innovation and infrastructure programmes, as well as government‑sponsored bodies. DSIT's investments are monitored on a portfolio basis, including assessing market and valuation risks and considering any indirect effects global market movements on the Department’s assets.

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 promote the use of content authentication technologies to help identify AI-generated content online; and if she will consider regulatory intervention to ensure provenance signals are preserved and visible to users.

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

Exploring solutions for enabling users and institutions to determine what media is real and what is AI-generated is a key part of tackling a wide range of AI risks. The government is examining the robustness of a range of such solutions in this space through the recent Deepfake Detection Challenge.

AI is a general-purpose technology with a wide range of applications, which is why the government believes that the vast majority of 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 comparative assessment she has made of trends in the level of online harm experienced by (a) girls and (b) boys.

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

Making the online environment a safer place for children is a priority for this government.

The Online Safety Act requires services to protect children from harmful and age-inappropriate content as well as proactively tackle the most harmful illegal content, much of which disproportionately affects women and girls, including intimate image abuse.

Ofcom has published guidance outlining steps services can take to make their platforms safer for women and girls online.

We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the Act, the government announced a consultation and national conversation to understand how best we can build on these provisions to ensure children have positive, enriched digital lives.

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 children under the age of 13 having personal social media profiles including public profile pictures on their safety.

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

To help companies comply with their duties under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom published guidance on the risks of illegal content and content to children as part of the Illegal Content Codes and Protection of Children Codes. The guidance notes the risks associated with children’s public profiles, such as abusive and hateful content, and the impact on different age groups. Service must refer to this guidance when implementing measures to protect children online.

We are launching a consultation to gather evidence to understand how best we can build on these provisions to ensure children have positive, enriched digital lives.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, further to the three month consultation announced by the Government on further measures to keep children safe online, whether her Department plans to review submissions (a) as they come in or (b) at the close of that consultation.

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

The government will review submissions to the consultation once the consultation has closed and respond to the consultation in the summer. We will act quickly on the findings of the consultation.

We want to be sure that everyone’s views are heard in the consultation on next steps to enhance children’s wellbeing online. This includes civil society organisations, parents and children from a wide variety of backgrounds.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what plans her Department is planning to take to ensure that social media sites adhere to their 13+ rule of access.

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

The Online Safety Act requires in-scope services, including social media platforms, to protect children from illegal content, harmful content and age-inappropriate content.

The government has announced a consultation and national conversation to gather evidence to understand how best we can build on the Act’s provisions to ensure children have positive, enriched digital lives. The consultation will seek views on a range of measures, including what the right minimum age for children to access social media is.

We will act on the findings of the consultation.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.

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

At this time, the Department does not administer payroll deductions for Credit Unions, and there are no proposals to introduce such a service.

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 children use AI safely.

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

The Government takes the safety of children extremely seriously. We recognise the potential risks that AI systems pose, and that is why strong protections apply to them. Under the Online Safety Act, in-scope AI services must assess the risk of harm to users from illegal content on their services and implement measures to manage and mitigate this risk. Where services are likely to be accessed by children, they will be required to take action to protect them from harmful content.

The Government has been clear that it will continue to take further action where required. We have introduced new offences in the Crime and Policing Bill to criminalise AI tools designed to generate child sexual abuse material. Additionally, the Secretary of State has confirmed in Parliament that the Government is exploring how emerging services, such as AI chatbots, interact with the Online Safety Act and what further measures may be required.

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 social media on young people’s wellbeing in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

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

The Online Safety Act requires services to protect children in the UK, including Surrey and Surrey Heath, from illegal and harmful content online. But we know that up and down the country, parents are grappling with how much screentime their children should have and the consequences on their mental health.

The government is determined to give children the childhood they deserve and enhance their wellbeing. That is why we are launching a consultation to gather evidence to understand how best we can build on the Online Safety Act’s provisions to ensure children have positive, enriched digital lives.

The consultation will be accompanied by a national conversation, and we want to hear from children and parents right across the UK. Every voice matters in shaping what comes next.

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 ensure that parents have the skills they need to support children's safe use of AI.

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

Protecting children from harm online is a top priority for this government.

This year, the government will be supporting a NSPCC summit at Wilton Park on the impact of AI on childhood. This will bring together experts, technology companies, civil society and young people to explore how AI can benefit children without exposing them to harm

Media literacy is also a key part of our approach, helping children and adults develop critical thinking skills to navigate the growing presence of AI-generated content. DSIT has developed with DfE an online safety parent hub providing guidance on media literacy and online safety.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which the AI-Driven Innovation Centre, announced at the World Economic Forum in January, aligns with the UK’s artificial intelligence strategy and wider policy objectives.

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

AI is already transforming how we make products, discover new medicines and power innovation in areas like financial services. Scaling up adoption across these sectors and beyond is essential to boosting productivity, creating good jobs and driving Britain’s economic renewal.

The new Centre for AI-Driven Innovation will play a central role in delivering the UK’s ambitions for AI—bringing together world-leading research, industry expertise and international partners to turn ideas into real-world impact. By accelerating progress on the AI Opportunities Action Plan, it will help the UK go further and faster in strengthening its position as a global leader and hub for innovation in the age of AI. Innovation will play a central role in delivering the UK’s ambitions for AI—bringing together world‑leading research, industry expertise and international partners to turn ideas into real‑world impact.

The Centre’s focus on driving responsible AI adoption across key sectors—including advanced manufacturing, life sciences and professional services—directly supports the Government’s aims to boost productivity, enhance technological leadership and promote the safe, trustworthy deployment of AI across the economy.

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 improve the resilience of mobile networks in Surrey Heath constituency.

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

Residents in all areas of the country, rightly expect to have reliable mobile connectivity to participate in the modern digital economy. The Government recognises that events like storms and power outages can have a particular impact on rural communities.

Mobile network operators have legal obligations to put in place appropriate and proportionate measures to ensure the resilience of their networks and services. This is overseen by the independent regulator Ofcom, who have powers to monitor compliance, conduct investigations, issue penalties and enforce remedial actions.

Ofcom have completed a public consultation on power back-up for mobile services across the UK, which identified a particular impact on rural communities. They published an update on their work in February 2025 and announced they are completing further analysis to determine the appropriate and proportionate measures required to ensure adequate resilience for consumers. The Government looks forward to the rapid conclusion of that work.

The Government is also supporting collaboration between the electricity and telecommunications sectors to deliver measures so that when power cuts occur the likelihood of disruption to telecommunications services is as low as possible, and where disruption does occur it should affect as few people for the shortest possible time. This will include Surrey Heath as well as all areas of the country and will help strengthen resilience of mobile networks.

The Government also continues to support investment from Industry to improve mobile resilience. VodafoneThree has committed to invest £11 billion to upgrade their joint networks. BT/EE have publicly announced that they share the same 2030 ambition as the Government and significant investment plans are underway by Virgin Media O2 and other providers. On 10 February, the Government launched the “Mobile Market Review: call for evidence”, which will support unlocking further invest in comprehensive high-quality mobile coverage.

New technology will also play a key role in mobile resilience. The Government does not expect satellite Direct to Device connectivity to replace terrestrial networks, but it can supplement coverage in areas where provision is poor or enable it where no connectivity is currently available.

The new Emergency Services Network (ESN), which is due to become live by 2029, will also strengthen power resilience for a large number of mobile masts across the country.

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 consumer protections for customers from price rises from telecommunications and subscription television providers; and what steps she is taking to ensure that price increase terms linked to inflation indices are transparent and clearly communicated to consumers.

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

The Government supports Ofcom’s strengthened transparency rules, which came into force in January 2025, to ensure consumers know clearly how and when any price changes will occur. These rules require telecoms and Pay TV providers to set out in pounds and pence, and in plain English, any in‑contract price increase before the customer signs up, so people can understand and compare deals easily.

Ofcom has also previously introduced clearer and easier switching rights, meaning that where price rises occur under a “prices may vary” contract, consumers now have more straightforward routes to switch provider and find a better deal if they choose to do so.

On top of this, on 11 February, the Chancellor and Secretary of State secured further voluntary action from telecoms companies through the new Telecoms Consumer Charter. This Charter strengthens transparency further, prevents unexpected mid‑contract price increases where rises have been specified upfront, and includes additional commitments aimed at empowering consumers and improving support for those struggling to pay.

The Government will continue working closely with Ofcom to ensure consumers are protected from unfair pricing practices across telecommunications services.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government how evidence from national and public bodies, including the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, teaching unions and the security services, will be balanced against submissions from technology companies and members of the public in the consultation on children's social media use.

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

The government has announced a consultation and national conversation to gather evidence to understand how best we can build on the Online Safety Act’s provisions to ensure children have positive, enriched digital lives.

We will consult parents, the organisations representing children and bereaved parents, technology companies and, crucially, children and young people themselves, because their views and voices must be heard. We will make sure that the consultation is evidence-led, with input from independent experts.

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 level of digital exclusion in Leicester; and what steps she is taking to improve the level of digital skills and access.

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

Everyone should be able to benefit from the digital world – helping families save money, get a better job, and access services like the NHS more easily.

But we know some people face real barriers. Data from 2025 shows that 18% adults in the UK labour force lack essential digital skills for work, while 7% of households in the East Midlands do not have access to the internet.

That’s why we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan, and why we’re now delivering the foundations: better connectivity, more devices reaching people who need them, and support to build skills and confidence in communities across the UK.

This has included launching the £11.9 million Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund, with £35,391.97 going to Leicester City Council and £90,625 to Wesley Hall Community Centre, helping more people across the UK get the access, skills and confidence to get online.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to A UK Cyber Growth Action Plan – Final Report (Command Paper CP 1406, September 2025), what progress her Department has made against this suggestion; and what metrics her Department plans to use to measure progress in embedding cyber skills more broadly across education, business, and regional initiatives.

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

We received the Cyber Growth Action Plan in September and are now working to incorporate the recommendations in the new National Cyber Action Plan. In the meantime, we have launched the £187m TechFirst programme to develop and support students across the UK to enter the cyber workforce alongside the wider digital and tech frontier industries. We also continue to support key initiatives such as the UK Cyber Security Council to standardise and embed cyber professional standards; Cyber Local grants to support regional efforts to support businesses and schools and Cyber Essentials certification scheme to help organisations protect themselves against the most common cyber security threats.

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 whether current apprenticeship uptake will meet the estimated shortfall in qualified cyber security professionals, identified as being experienced by 30% of cyber firms in 2024 in the Cyber Security Skills in the UK Labour Market 2024 report.

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

The latest published data shows 590 cyber apprenticeship starts in England in 2023/24. As apprenticeship statistics are devolved, comparable UK‑wide data is not published on a consistent basis. Apprentices alone will not meet industry demand for cyber security professionals. That is why we are expanding multiple entry routes, including apprenticeships, higher education and non‑traditional pathways. Through the new Growth and Skills Levy, the Government will support 50,000 more apprenticeships for young people and unlock shorter training options that can support frontier sectors such as cyber. In addition, 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.

I think the government shouldn’t ban social media for under 16s. This is because for many young people social media is how they communicate with their friends. Some people view social media as a lifeline. A community, a supportive network. This is why I think the government shouldn’t ban it.

Found: Establishment (PSRE), and an Executive Agency of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT

Found: that the government assess whether the departments coordinate work and policy effectively, and that DSIT

Found: NPL is owned by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

Found: the issue – “Ofcom will act, and if they don't, the government will.”58 The Secretary of State for DSIT

Found: Accounting for a better world: ACCA policy prospectus for the UK (2024), p.6. 21 ACCA-EY response to DSIT

Found: We have worked closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the Regulatory

Found: As the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) develops an updated space publication

Found: As an example, the DSA is working alongside the DSIT-led Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) to support

Found: With funding from DSIT, DRCF is working on a prototype “one-stop- shop” Digital Library for innovators

Found: RDEL to CDEL-8.2430.00.0=SUM(E130:G130)Department of Science, Innovation and TechnologySE BCT from DSIT

Found: C97)Policing cost for State Visits and Summits (Cabinet Office and FCDO)8=SUM(B98:C98)Digital IDs (DSIT

Found: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) Supplementary Estimate 2025-26: Estimates

Found: Ian Murray MP Minister of State Department for Science, Innovation & Technology 22-26 Whitehall

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

Found: CDEL Budget Exchange 2025-26 to 2026-27 Neutral funding changes between departments:- Transfer to DSIT

Found: (Sept 2025) 58 Department for Science, Innovation & Technology, Announcement of the ‘AI Safety Institute

Found: We have been working with DSIT around data centres because you can have data centres designed in a

Found: to The National Archives for Legislation Projects 0.0 -0.5 -0.5 0.0 0.0 -0.5 Transfer from DSIT

Found: government departments, namely DBT for the EPD and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT

Found: Products Budget cover transfer (BCT) from The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT

Found: Earlier this year, Secretary of State for DSIT Peter Kyle also stated that “we must consider the possibility

Found: Part of the logic of being located in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is

Found: Government Departments: Dan Jarvis MP, from the Cabinet Office and the Home Office, and Ian Murray from DSIT

Found: We will be engaging with DSIT and others regarding capital funding; we are already engaging with UKRI

Found: It does not sit within my gift but I am in the process of raising it with DSIT Ministers.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to support young people to pursue careers in tech start ups in the Midlands.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government is taking a range of steps to increase awareness among young people in the Midlands about the diverse and rewarding career opportunities available in the tech sector. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has developed partnerships with local colleges to provide routes into digital content creation, social media, and other in-demand skills. We are working closely with the region’s four main universities through initiatives such as the Graduate Retune and HLSM+, offering tailored employability support, sector workshops and paid placements with local businesses.

The East and West Midlands Combined Authorities are two of eight areas delivering Youth Guarantee Trailblazers. These Trailblazers are testing innovative approaches to identify and deliver localised support to young people who are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) or at risk of becoming NEET. This includes specialist digital boot camps delivered by providers such as Generation UK, Althaus and Birmingham Open Media. The Trailblazers will provide learning to inform the role of local areas in delivering the Youth Guarantee in the future.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has launched TechFirst, an £187 million programme designed to build the tech skills pipeline and drive local growth. TechFirst has also launched TechLocal to address the challenges SMEs and start-ups face in investing in early-stage career roles. By funding innovation in local recruitment, TechLocal will connect young people in the Midlands directly to the region's growing frontier technology sectors. Further details of the grant competition can be found at TechLocal - GOV.UK.

Found: • Other depreciation and impairment movements include: – £50.2 million for DSIT – £41.4 million for

Found: 10.299 10.299 (Section D) Transfer in funding from Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT

Found: Transfers (BCTs) (Section B) BCT (IN) from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT

Found: Transfers (BCTs) (Section B) BCT (IN) from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT

Found: A major award from the Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) supported

Found: Classroom CtC1 Connect the Classroom 1 CtC2 Connect the Classroom 2 DfE Department for Education DSIT

Found: DeepMind  Marcelo Mattar, Assistant Professor of Psychology and Neural Science at New York University DSIT

Found: tackle this threat, the Home Office in collaboration with the Accelerated Capability Environment, DSIT

Found: activity that UKRI will deliver on behalf of  the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT

Found: the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT

Found: This follows the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s (DSIT) publication of Replacing

Found: - Science Innovation and Growth - DSIT - Space

Found: VENDOR DSIT - Science, Innovation and Growth - DSIT - Space Department for Business, Energy & Industrial

Found: Transaction number Amount Description Supplier Postcode VAT registration number Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

Found: Expense area Supplier Transaction number Amount Description VAT registration number Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

Found: Expense area Supplier Transaction number Amount Description VAT registration number Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

Found: Expense area Supplier Transaction number Amount Description VAT registration number Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

Found: Expense area Supplier Transaction number Amount Description VAT registration number Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

Found: Expense area Supplier Transaction number Amount Description VAT registration number Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

Found: Expense area Supplier Transaction number Amount Description VAT registration number Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

Found: Expense area Supplier Transaction number Amount Description VAT registration number Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

Found: machinery of government change in 2023 and became the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT

Found: machinery of government change in 2023 and became the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT

Found: departments – primarily the Home Office, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT

Found: Baroness Lloyd of Effra Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

Found: Baroness Lloyd of Effra Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

Found: (“DSIT” or “Shareholder” or “Shareholder Department”), UK Government Investments

Found: Ian Murray MP Minister of State Department for Science, Innovation & Technology 22-26 Whitehall

Found: Ian Murray MP Minister of State Department for Science, Innovation & Technology 22-26 Whitehall

Found: Meeting with Baroness Lloyd, Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State (Minister for Digital Economy), DSIT

Found: DSIT have provided a Devolution Analysis which states that consent is required for Clauses 12, 17, 19