Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential for adoption of artificial intelligence in the public sector.

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

The government is committed to harnessing AI and other technologies to deliver the government’s five missions and improve citizens’ lives. Public sector adoption is a key part of the forthcoming AI Opportunities Action Plan. The plan will detail how we can reimagine our public services by ensuring the public sector takes advantage of the best emerging use-cases and tools.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the UK Deep-Sea Mining Environmental Science Network last met.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The UK is a world leader on tackling climate change and an international advocate for the highest possible environmental standards. We recognise the growing pressure to extract deep-sea resources and are concerned about the potential impacts of mining activities on the fragile marine environment.

This is why the UK supports a moratorium on the granting of exploitation licenses for deep sea mining projects by the International Seabed Authority (ISA). We will not sponsor or support the issuing of any such exploitation licences for deep sea mining by the ISA until there is sufficient scientific evidence about the potential impact on deep sea ecosystems. This is why the UK has been driving the need for strong enforceable environmental regulations, standards and guidelines to be developed by the ISA and put in place before any mining commences.

To support this, the UK successfully launched a new multi-disciplinary UK deep sea mining environmental expert network to champion UK expertise in environmental sciences, leading on filling gaps in knowledge in order to provide sufficient scientific evidence to fully understand the potential environmental impacts of deep sea mining. The Network has gained 75 members who are multidisciplinary across environmental sciences, and plans are underway for the Networks inaugural meeting to take place early in 2025.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what research they are undertaking on the long-term effects of deep-sea mining.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

In 2022 the UK government commissioned an independent deep sea mining evidence review conducted by the British Geological Survey, National Oceanography Centre and Heriot Watt University and it was published in October 2022.

The government, through UK Research and Innovation and National Environment Research Council, (UKRI-NERC) is also funding the 5-year SMARTEX (Seabed Mining and Resilience to Experimental Impact) project which aims to build a better understanding of the ecosystem in the Pacific abyss and add to the scientific evidence base for informed decision-making by understanding the long-term environmental impacts of mining and whether this will have serious consequences for the ecosystem.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they will publish the Artificial Intelligence Opportunities Action Plan.

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

The AI Opportunities Action Plan will set out recommended actions for Government to grow the UK’s domestic AI sector and drive adoption of AI across the economy to boost growth and improve products and services. The action plan will be published soon.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of deep-sea mining.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The UK recognises the potential impacts of deep sea mining are not fully understood and supports a moratorium on the granting of mining licences by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) until sufficient scientific evidence is available to assess the impact on marine ecosystems, and strong, enforceable environmental regulations, standards and guidelines are adopted by the ISA.

Through the UK's sponsorship of academic research and existing exploration licences, over 70 peer-reviewed publications supporting a greater understanding of environmental issues associated with deep sea mining have already been produced, with more to come.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government how they plan to ensure that deep seabed mining activities and their long-term effects are transparent.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The UK Government is committed to transparency in all aspects of its deep sea mining policy and strongly advocate for it as a core aspect of the UK's negotiating position at the International Seabed Authority.

The UK commissions independent reviews, sponsors academic research, and funds projects like the Seabed Mining and Resilience to Experimental Impact project. These initiatives aim to understand and publicly share the long-term environmental impacts, supporting informed decision-making and responsible policy development.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Prime Minister's trade envoy programme will continue; and if so, when new trade envoys will be appointed.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The programme will continue. Ministers are considering carefully its scope and structure to ensure that it is set up for success. The House will of course be notified of any appointments in due course.

Found: Baroness Morris of Yardley (The Chair); Lord Bach; Lord Blencathra; Lord Carter of Coles; Lord Laming; Lord Mott

Found: present: Baroness Morris of Yardley (The Chair); Lord Bach; Lord Carter of Coles; Lord Laming; Lord Mott

Found: Morris of Yardley (The Chair); Lord Bach; Lord Blencathra; Lord Carter of Coles; Lord Laming; Lord Mott

Found: the meeting Members present: Baroness Morris of Yardley (The Chair); Lord Bach; Lord Laming; Lord Mott