Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Abolition

Lord Ranger of Northwood Excerpts

Wednesday 14th October 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

We absolutely have a focus on science and technology, which is why the Minister for AI has a seat at the Cabinet table. I agree with the noble Lord that the UK stands at a critical juncture, where unprecedented global changes mean that we need to secure our position in relation to these areas, but we cannot see science and technology as an isolated issue that is limited to one department; it is a fundamental priority that cuts across the whole of government and is crucial to the UK’s future economic prosperity.

[Lord Ranger of Northwood (Con)]

My Lords, the Government were doing reasonably well through DSIT in helping a booming industry in UK AI find its way through the plethora of initiatives and policies, including the AI growth zones, the AI opportunity action plan and sovereign AI. As well as for civil servants, the removal of DSIT has caused confusion in industry, and I declare my interest as a co-founder of the Business AI Alliance and an adviser to a number of AI businesses. All these businesses have said the same thing to me: where do they go now? Where are all these policy areas sitting? How can they navigate their way as they try to bring that key element of growth to the UK economy?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

As I said in my initial response to the noble Lord, Lord Empey, we have a Minister for AI at the Cabinet table. We also have a new and renewed BIST, which has been created to signify the UK’s global leadership in innovation and maximise the growth potential that can be contributed to the UK economy by emerging strategic sectors. This is part of our reindustrialisation agenda. BIST is now responsible for emerging and frontier technologies, and I am confident that this will be part of its key work going forward.

AI: Human Extinction

Lord Ranger of Northwood Excerpts

Tuesday 15th September 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

I commend the Joint Committee on Human Rights for its report. I read it on the way into London yesterday. It is an interesting read and very clearly written. As somebody who would not purport to be as much of an AI expert as our AI Minister, I felt that it explained how AI works in very clear terms—so, from that point alone, I commend it to noble Lords to read. The Government are taking an agile and context-based approach to AI regulation. We are trying to balance the opportunities for growth with safety. We believe this approach allows risks to be addressed in the context in which they arise, while also supporting growth and innovation. We will respond fully to the Joint Committee’s report in due course.

[Lord Ranger of Northwood (Con)]

My Lords, if you watched the news yesterday, you would have seen an AI actor being interviewed by a certain Ed Balls and Susanna Reid. By the evening’s “News at Ten”, we had heard about AI extinction from the big AI tech bros. In the middle of that, we had an APPG AI session on what leadership looks like for AI. The questions were about international leadership, business leadership in the UK and how to reassure the public. What are the Government doing about reassuring the public when they hear all these messages about AI?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

The main thing we need to do is not downplay people’s concerns. Clearly, when world experts and people who have been working in this field are raising concerns about it, the worst thing we could do as a Government would be to say, “Nothing to see here”, because we are so keen to be part of the huge positive way forward for AI. That is the first step. One of the things we should do more of is talk about our successes through the AI Security Institute, AISI. I have been impressed by what I have heard about it and I think the public would be reassured by some of the big successes of AISI over recent months and years.

2026 FIFA World Cup: Replica Kit Pricing

Lord Ranger of Northwood Excerpts

Wednesday 20th May 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

I hope the noble Lord will be reassured that I asked that specific question as part of my preparation. I was told that the FA puts money from the sale of such kits back into grass-roots football, which I am sure all noble Lords will appreciate. However, that does not detract from the fact that they are prohibitively expensive, which excludes some people from having them. The pricing is part of a multi-year deal between the FA and manufacturers, and the prices reflect consistently high prices internationally. I will ensure through officials at DCMS that the FA has noted the points raised in this debate in your Lordships’ House.

[Lord Ranger of Northwood (Con)]

My Lords, I speak as a football fan with two small boys who I continually have to provide kits for, even though they are Spurs kits and this season has not been the best. The problem we have is the naked commercialisation of clubs when it comes to not just one kit but multiple kits, plastered with sponsorship from multinational companies, so there is vast revenue coming in from these kits anyway. It is a challenge for spectators and fans to belong to the club, and the clubs like to make the link that they are for the fans. What is the Independent Football Regulator’s view on the price of kits and the multitude of kits?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

I am not privy to the Independent Football Regulator’s precise views on this, but the Government established the Independent Football Regulator specifically to put hearts back at the centre of how clubs operate. This will include issues around pricing and consultation about a whole range of things. I look forward to seeing how the Independent Football Regulator works in practice, both with the football clubs and leagues, but also representing the interests of fans in this way.

Artificial Intelligence: News Media

Lord Ranger of Northwood Excerpts

Monday 7th July 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

As I said, we want to, and need to, make sure we get this right for everyone. I am happy to have a conversation with the noble Baroness about the issue she raises.

[Lord Ranger of Northwood (Con)]

My Lords, I welcome the way the Government have approached AI and how they are dealing with different stakeholders, especially in the media. There is challenge regarding how the data is produced, but in its editorial guidelines our national broadcaster says that AI is part of the process in informing insight analysis, but not the production process. Are the Government looking at how the BBC and other broadcasters and content providers are adopting their policies to AI?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

The BBC did a recent study on the use of AI and has done a quite a lot of work on, for example, the accuracy of chatbots. It is very well placed to get that real sense of how appropriate it is to use it. We want people to use best practice, and we are clear that AI offers the most powerful lever we have for national renewal, but we need to get the balance right, as I and other ministerial colleagues have said before.