Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to trial a rights reservation mechanism, with satisfactory feedback from rightsholders, prior to proposing any copyright exception for text and data mining by artificial intelligence.

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

The Government published a consultation on Copyright and AI in December 2024.

This consultation seeks views on proposals to introduce a text and data mining exception alongside a rights reservation mechanism and transparency measures. The Government believes these measures should progress together and could come into operation when effective, proportionate, and accessible technological solutions were in place.

The Government recognises the vital importance of right holder feedback on a rights reservation mechanism, and how it will work in practice, and will take this feedback into account as it develops its approach.

The consultation closes on 25 February.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 24 December 2024 (HL3494), what assessment they have made of the alignment between the United Kingdom’s Nationally Determined Contribution for 2030, which requires that emissions do not exceed around 260 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, and the existing legally binding framework set by the fifth carbon budget, which limits emissions for the period 2028 to 2032 to around 345 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.

Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The UK’s 2030 nationally determined contribution - to reduce economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions by at least 68% on 1990 levels – represents an increase in ambition on the UK’s fifth carbon budget, which covers the period 2028-2032. The UK will need to overachieve on the fifth carbon budget to meet the 2030 NDC and stay on track for the sixth carbon budget. In its advice to Government on the setting of the UK’s sixth carbon budget, the Climate Change Committee advised that it did not consider it necessary for Government to reset existing targets, and instead advised that once the 2030 NDC and sixth carbon budget were set on the path to net zero, that these would provide a clear target for UK emissions reductions.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what performance management system is used by HM Prison and Probation Service; when it was last reviewed; and whether it requires managers to submit annual appraisal markings for staff.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

HMPPS adheres to an internal Performance Management Policy that applies to all staff in Ministry of Justice Headquarters and its agencies upon confirmation of successfully completing probation. The policy includes setting agreed performance expectations, having regular performance conversations, supporting performance and holding quarterly reviews to identify members of staff who are high performing and those that may require support.

The HMPPS policy was published in April 2022, with no imminent date for review. There is no requirement to submit annual appraisal markings for individual staff.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the Advertising Standards Authority’s measures to ensure gambling advertisements do not reach underage audiences; and what plans they have to review the authority’s performance as regulator.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The ASA is the UK’s independent frontline regulator of adverts and works closely with a network of partner regulators, including Ofcom and the Gambling Commission, which act as a legal backstop to the ASA’s day-to-day enforcement in some areas. While government cannot formally review the performance of the ASA we engage regularly with the regulator to understand issues of non-compliance with its codes and how it adapts and responds to changes in the advertising industry.

The Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) and Broadcast Committees of Advertising Practice (BCAP) Codes, enforced by the ASA, contain a wide range of provisions that are designed to protect children and ensure that gambling adverts are socially responsible. Operators must ensure that their advertising is not targeted at children and must not appear in media created for children or for which children make up 25% or more of the audience. Operators must also ensure that they take all reasonable steps to use data available to exclude individuals on the basis of their age or other relevant criteria.

We continue to monitor the best available evidence in this area and will consider appropriate action as necessary.

Found: 9AJ Sir Nic Dakin MP Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for Justice Rt Hon. the Lord Foster of Bath

Found: leadership and staffing Tuesday 28 January 2025 10.35 am Watch the meeting Members present: Lord Foster of Bath

Found: Letter dated 23/01/2025 from Baroness Twycross to Lord Foster of Bath regarding issues raised following