Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of that low-cost, open source AI models could be used to launch the risk of malicious attacks on UK security.

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

The Government has established a Central AI Risk Function (CAIRF), which brings together policymakers and AI experts with a mission to continuously identify, assess and prepare for AI associated risks.

CAIRF develops and maintains the UK Government’s AI Risk Register. The register is actively maintained by CAIRF to identify individual risks associated with AI that could impact the UK spanning national security, the economy and society.

In addition, the AI Security Institute's (AISI) work is part of this Government's efforts to tackle security threats from AI. AISI evaluates both closed and open-sourced AI models to assess the risks AI poses to security and public safety.

We are also mindful that open source can boost transparency and support AI safety research. The UK Government will carefully balance these important benefits alongside risks as it develops its regulatory approach.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reoffending rates of those serving short community sentences of six months or less.

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

In 2022/23, the proven reoffending rate for adults serving immediate custodial sentences of six months or less was 59.6%. For further details, please see here: proven-reoffending-jan23-mar23-annual.ods. We do not have a published breakdown for community sentences by sentence length. To produce this data would incur disproportionate costs.

However, studies found that short custodial sentences of 12 months or less were associated with higher reoffending rates (approximately 4 percentage points higher) than court orders of any length (which includes both community orders and suspended sentence orders) had been given.

The Government has delivered on a manifesto commitment to bring sentencing up to date and ensure the framework is consistent by launching an Independent Review of Sentencing chaired by former Lord Chancellor, David Gauke.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reoffending rates of those serving short custodial sentences of six months or less.

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

In 2022/23, the proven reoffending rate for adults serving immediate custodial sentences of six months or less was 59.6%. For further details, please see here: proven-reoffending-jan23-mar23-annual.ods. We do not have a published breakdown for community sentences by sentence length. To produce this data would incur disproportionate costs.

However, studies found that short custodial sentences of 12 months or less were associated with higher reoffending rates (approximately 4 percentage points higher) than court orders of any length (which includes both community orders and suspended sentence orders) had been given.

The Government has delivered on a manifesto commitment to bring sentencing up to date and ensure the framework is consistent by launching an Independent Review of Sentencing chaired by former Lord Chancellor, David Gauke.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the work of the Infected Blood Compensation Authority.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) is an operationally independent body. My honourable friend in the other place, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who is the sponsoring Minister for IBCA, is committed to working with IBCA to monitor their performance and ensure compensation is delivered to everyone who is eligible as quickly as possible. The first payments to infected people have been made, totalling over £25 million, and in February the Government laid the second set of infected blood compensation regulations before Parliament. If approved by Parliament, these regulations will give IBCA the powers it needs to also begin payments to affected people eligible under the Scheme.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of people infected by contaminated blood products since 1980 who are still alive.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has not made an estimate of the number of patients that became infected after the year 1980, although we have estimates for infections occurring in a wider timeframe. The Department used the principle number presented by the Infected Blood Inquiry, in its Statistics Expert Reports, which has identified the infected individuals for the period between 1970 and 1991; the number of those infected because of a bleeding disorder with hepatitis C is between 2,400 and 5,000, and those infected with HIV approximately 1,250. The inquiry further estimates that those infected with hepatitis C via blood transfusion ranges between 21,300 and 38,800, and between 80 and 100 with HIV.

Since November 2017, 3,553 individuals, who were infected because of contaminated blood, are currently registered with one of the United Kingdom Infected Blood Support Schemes. However, there may be others who were infected and are still alive but have not yet come forward.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the number of people who have been infected by contaminated blood since 1980.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has not made an estimate of the number of patients that became infected after the year 1980, although we have estimates for infections occurring in a wider timeframe. The Department used the principle number presented by the Infected Blood Inquiry, in its Statistics Expert Reports, which has identified the infected individuals for the period between 1970 and 1991; the number of those infected because of a bleeding disorder with hepatitis C is between 2,400 and 5,000, and those infected with HIV approximately 1,250. The inquiry further estimates that those infected with hepatitis C via blood transfusion ranges between 21,300 and 38,800, and between 80 and 100 with HIV.

Since November 2017, 3,553 individuals, who were infected because of contaminated blood, are currently registered with one of the United Kingdom Infected Blood Support Schemes. However, there may be others who were infected and are still alive but have not yet come forward.