AI Growth Lab

Debate between Baroness Lloyd of Effra and Lord Holmes of Richmond

Thursday 26th March 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Holmes of Richmond (Con)]

I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper and declare my interests as set out in the register as adviser to Endava plc, the Crown Estate, Submer Ltd and Simmons & Simmons LLP.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business and Trade and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (Baroness Lloyd of Effra) (Lab)]

The AI growth lab is a regulatory sandbox designed to accelerate AI innovation and adoption across the UK in a supervised and safe setting. In the recent call for evidence, we asked for views on how best to operationalise the AI growth lab. Responses are being carefully considered in ongoing policy development and will inform forthcoming legislation that we intend to bring forward.

[Lord Holmes of Richmond (Con)]

My Lords, the AI growth lab is an excellent intervention. We have a great tradition in this country of sandboxes, and this follows on from there. It will require primary legislation, and it is not alone in that: there is an increasing number of areas where the Government say they want to act in terms of AI, all of which will require primary legislation. Rather than taking a bit by bit, Bill by Bill approach, does the Minister not agree that clarity, consistency and coherence will be better served by bringing forward a cross-sector AI Bill that would be good for the citizen, the creative, the consumer, the innovator and the investor? Will the Government take the opportunity of the upcoming King’s Speech to bring forward such a Bill?

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

The noble Lord has a great deal of expertise in this area and, as he knows very well, AI is a technology that has many different applications. We are committed to a context-based regulatory approach where most AI systems are regulated at the point of use. As a novel technology, it can develop in areas which cross regulatory barriers or give particular opportunities for new product and service development. That is the reason for the AI growth lab, which will model a new approach to regulation, with the power to make rapid temporary amendments to regulation to safely test and prove application. As the noble Lord says, the UK’s experience of sandboxes is emulated around the world.

Artificial Intelligence Legislation

Debate between Baroness Lloyd of Effra and Lord Holmes of Richmond

Monday 17th November 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Holmes of Richmond (Con)]

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper, and I declare my relevant interest, as set out in the register, as an adviser to Endava plc and to Simmons and Simmons LLP and as a member of the technology and science advisory committee of the Crown Estate.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business and Trade and Department for Science, Information and Technology (Baroness Lloyd of Effra) (Lab)]

I appreciate the significant interest in the Government’s intentions for AI legislation, and I thank the noble Lord for his valuable contributions on the issue. The Government do not speculate on legislation ahead of future parliamentary Sessions, and I cannot confirm the timing of any such Bill. However, we will keep Parliament updated on the timings of any consultations ahead of bringing forward any legislation. We have remained committed to ensuring the UK and its laws are ready for the changes AI will bring.

[Lord Holmes of Richmond (Con)]

My Lords, when it comes to AI legislation, the position of the previous Government was largely “wait and see”; so it is with this Government. But what is really required if you are an innovator, investor, citizen, creative or consumer is clarity, consistency and certainty. Further, the excellent Ada Lovelace Institute recent research showed that 72% of those surveyed said they would feel more comfortable with AI were it specifically regulated. Would the Minister not agree that, to deliver that clarity, consistency, certainty, comfort and confidence to act, we need a cross-sector, cross-economy, right-sized AI regulation Bill right now?