Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support collaboration between artificial intelligence researchers and video game developers to increase innovation and high-skilled employment.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government recognises AI’s established role in the UK's video game sector, such as supporting content generation and character behaviours. As technology advances, AI has the potential to further enhance creativity, efficiency, and accessibility in games development.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has invested in the Centre for Doctoral Training in Intelligent Games and Game Intelligence (IGGI) since 2014. IGGI has produced over 60 PhD graduates at the intersection of AI, games, and human-computer interaction, focused on using games to drive innovation, improve well-being, and tackle societal challenges. Graduates have turned research into business value across the creative industries, including roles at Sony AI and Google DeepMind. The Government will continue engaging with the games industry to understand opportunities and challenges regarding responsible use of AI, to ensure the UK’s innovative games industry thrives in the age of AI.
Our Creative Industries Sector Plan, published in June, announced a number of measures that will support innovation across the creative industries. This includes a £100 million investment to support R&D creative clusters across the UK; and the UKRI will lead efforts to significantly increase public funding and leverage substantial industry investment to promote R&D and innovation in the Creative Industries.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking with industry partners to develop innovation funding and training programmes for the use of generative artificial intelligence in the video games sector.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government has partnered with leading tech firms to deliver AI skills training to 7.5 million UK workers. In the creative industries, Skills England have conducted research and analysis to identify AI-related skills gaps across the creative industries and support emerging creative AI roles. As outlined in the Creative Industries Sector Plan, we will introduce short courses in England, funded through the Growth and Skills Levy, in areas including AI. We will also work with the Digital Skills Council, an industry-led advisory body, to support sector training pathways and ensure the workforce is prepared for the future of work.
The Government recognises that AI already plays an established role in the UK's video game sector, having multiple use cases from content generation, character behaviours, and more. As technology advances, AI has the potential to further enhance creativity, efficiency, and accessibility in games development.
DCMS will continue to engage with the games industry to understand opportunities and challenges related to the responsible use of AI, ensuring that we continue to support our innovative games industry to thrive in the age of AI.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the use of artificial intelligence in news production and distribution complies with regulated media standards.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
AI is a tool that could help the UK realise its full potential as a global creative powerhouse. While we should be aware of the risks of AI, we should also be positive about its possibilities. DCMS is working closely with DSIT and other departments on tackling harmful misinformation and the role our media sector plays in fostering a healthy online environment.
The independent regulator Ofcom enforces standards on broadcast media through their Broadcasting Code, which includes rules that ensure that broadcast news is duly accurate and impartial. Ofcom has set out guidance around the use of synthetic media, including AI: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/about-ofcom/bulletins/broadcast-bulletins/2023/issue-471/note-to-broadcasters-synthetic-media-including-deepfakes-.pdf?v=329464. This is attached to this answer.
The UK has a self-regulatory system for the press, which was established independently from Government to protect press freedom. The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) and The Independent Monitor for the Press (Impress) are industry-led regulators for the press. They enforce codes of conduct which provide guidelines on a range of areas, including accuracy. Impress has also published specific guidance regarding best practices when using AI for news content creation: https://www.impressorg.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Impress-Best-Practice-Note-The-Use-of-Artificial-Intelligence-April-2025.pdf).
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential benefits of video games designed to support the mental health of young people.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government recognises the potential mental health benefits for young people that can come from playing video games.
Independent studies from the University of Oxford, the United States National Library of Medicine and The Royal Society found positive health and wellbeing impacts from playing video games. The global video games industry also published the “Power of Play” report in 2023, providing insights into video games’ social and emotional benefit, showing 71% of players turning to video games to relieve stress.
In 2023, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport published a Video Games Research Framework which seeks to improve understanding of the impacts of video games. It sets out the Government’s research topics and priorities, including the mental health impacts on players interacting with video games and how the application of video games has health tools impacts on players.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks that artificial intelligence poses to independent media, and how AI affects the operation of independent media sites.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Journalism plays an invaluable role in the fabric of our society and we are committed to supporting a free, sustainable and plural media landscape. In this context, we recognise concerns from the press sector, including independent media, that recent developments in generative AI pose risks, as well as opportunities, to journalism.
We are engaging with the press sector on these concerns. The Media Minister and the Technology Secretary each held roundtables earlier this year with publishers and broadcasters to discuss AI and journalism. We have also provided funding to the Bridging Responsible AI Divides research programme at The University of Edinburgh, which produced the report ‘Generative AI and Journalism: Mapping the Risk Landscape’.
We recognise that particular concerns have been raised with regard to the use of copyrighted news content in the training of AI models and how this interacts with UK copyright law. We want to support rightsholders in licensing their work in the digital age while allowing AI developers to benefit from access to creative material in the UK, including that from independent media. The government is analysing responses to the consultation and looking at all options. We will set out a detailed economic impact assessment on all options and a report on the use of copyright material for AI training, transparency and technical standards. This analysis will inform our position, alongside a series of expert working groups to bring together people from both the AI and creative sectors.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce legislation to protect consumers from the practice of some video game companies that allows games to become unplayable after the development cycle has ended.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is aware of concerns relating to the life-span of licensed, online-only video games and appreciates the frustrations of players of some games that have been discontinued. The Government has responded to a petition on this issue.
There are no plans to amend existing consumer law on disabling video games. Those selling games must comply with existing requirements in consumer law, and we will continue to monitor this issue.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Games Growth Package on the games sector in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government has made an internal assessment which shows an expected positive impact of the Games Growth Package. This was based on an independent evaluation of the UK Games Fund between 2022-2025, which will be published shortly, as well as information provided by Games London, industry reports and material gathered from stakeholder engagement.
A full, independent evaluation to assess the impact of the package will be commissioned in 2026/27, following the launch of this new funding.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Premier League football clubs displaying gambling and betting sponsors, particularly those associated with gambling firms which do not hold a licence to operate in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Under current rules, sports organisations who engage in sponsoring and advertising arrangements with unlicensed gambling operators are at serious risk of committing the offence of advertising unlawful gambling under section 330 of the Gambling Act 2005. Sports organisations engaging in such arrangements with an unlicensed brand must ensure that online gambling activity for that unlicensed brand is blocked and inaccessible to consumers in Great Britain. Its officers may also be liable to prosecution in certain circumstances. If found guilty, they could face a fine, imprisonment or both.
The Gambling Commission is therefore clear that sports organisations must diligently and continuously ensure that they are not advertising unlawful gambling. In such instances, the Commission will seek assurance from clubs that they have carried out due diligence on their gambling partners and that consumers in Great Britain cannot transact with the unlicensed websites. The Commission may also take steps to independently verify effective blocking measures are in place.
We will be working with sport governing bodies to review their gambling sponsorship Codes of Conduct.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the Victoria Cross and George Cross medal collection previously displayed in the "Extraordinary Heroes" exhibit remains accessible to the public following its removal from display at the Imperial War Museum.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Victoria and George Crosses tell stories of bravery and courage which form an important part of our national history. Thousands of visitors have appreciated The Lord Ashcroft Gallery, which houses Lord Ashcroft’s personal collection of these medals along with others belonging to the Imperial War Museum and other private owners, has been well-loved since its creation in 2010. The Government is grateful to him for his generous loan.
The Government recognises the importance of these medals and their incredible significance to the recipients, their families and the wider public, and we share the ambition that these medals do continue to be available to the public. In particular, we hope that the medals can be exhibited alongside the stories behind them. The Minister of State at DCMS has engaged with both the Museum’s leadership and with Lord Ashcroft to continue to support efforts to try and find a new permanent home for his remarkable collection. The Imperial War Museum plans to redisplay their own collection of Victoria Cross and George Cross medals at their sites across the country, allowing new audiences to engage with these heroic stories.
While Government does not have any role in curatorial decisions at national museums, it is common practice for museums to update their galleries and displays periodically in order to make the most of the wide range of collection items they hold, and to explore new ways of communicating vital histories to the public.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Imperial War Museum’s decision to close the Lord Ashcroft Gallery, and what impact this will have on the public, as well as on the recipients of the Victoria Cross and George Cross and their families.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Victoria and George Crosses tell stories of bravery and courage which form an important part of our national history. Thousands of visitors have appreciated The Lord Ashcroft Gallery, which houses Lord Ashcroft’s personal collection of these medals along with others belonging to the Imperial War Museum and other private owners, has been well-loved since its creation in 2010. The Government is grateful to him for his generous loan.
The Government recognises the importance of these medals and their incredible significance to the recipients, their families and the wider public, and we share the ambition that these medals do continue to be available to the public. In particular, we hope that the medals can be exhibited alongside the stories behind them. The Minister of State at DCMS has engaged with both the Museum’s leadership and with Lord Ashcroft to continue to support efforts to try and find a new permanent home for his remarkable collection. The Imperial War Museum plans to redisplay their own collection of Victoria Cross and George Cross medals at their sites across the country, allowing new audiences to engage with these heroic stories.
While Government does not have any role in curatorial decisions at national museums, it is common practice for museums to update their galleries and displays periodically in order to make the most of the wide range of collection items they hold, and to explore new ways of communicating vital histories to the public.