Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of artificial intelligence to support the discovery and development of new medicines.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham

The Government recognises the significant potential for artificial intelligence to support the discovery and development of new medicines. AI’s most credible near-term contribution is in the early design and discovery stages, where it can help researchers analyse complex biological and chemical data, predict molecular structure and binding, identify promising therapeutic candidates, and anticipate how pathogens or disease targets may evolve.

The UK is well placed to be a leader in AI-led medicines discovery. The Government’s AI for Science Strategy, published in November 2025 and backed by £137 million, is investing in the key enablers for AI-enabled science, including advanced compute, high-quality data, and skills. Medical research and engineering biology are two of the Strategy’s five priority areas. The strategy includes Mission One: to accelerate pre-clinical drug discovery and develop trial-ready drugs within 100 days by 2030.

The Sovereign AI Fund is backing strategically important UK AI capability relevant to medicines discovery, including support for Isomorphic Labs, a UK-based frontier AI drug design company, and an £8 million investment in OpenBind to generate high-quality protein-ligand binding data for better AI models in drug design. DSIT has also announced £100 million to harness frontier AI in support of biosecurity and pandemic preparedness, including by accelerating the design of more resilient countermeasures.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the safeguards required for the use of artificial intelligence to triage patients through the NHS app.

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

The Government is committed to safeguarding patients as part of the shift from analogue to digital National Health Services, as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency regulates artificial intelligence (AI) tools that provide clinical assessment to ensure they are safe for patient use in the NHS. NHS organisations deploying such tools must also comply with risk management standards and with the Digital Technology Assessment Criteria.

NHS England is developing national triage standards setting out the clinical principles, urgency thresholds, and performance expectations against which any AI-enabled triage will be assured before use and continuously evaluated against.

The Government has also established the National Commission into the regulation of AI in healthcare, which will advise on the future regulatory framework of AI.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks to financial stability arising from the increasing use of artificial intelligence agents in financial markets.

Answered by Lord Livermore

The Government’s ambition is to make the UK a global leader in AI. Encouraging safe adoption is an essential part of realising that ambition. We will continue to work closely with regulators and industry to ensure innovation proceeds safely and responsibly and that any risks to financial markets are identified and mitigated.

The Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC) is responsible for identifying, monitoring and taking action to remove or reduce systemic risks to the UK financial system. The FPC’s April 2025 Financial Stability in Focus publication set out potential risks to financial stability that could result from increasing AI use, including market related risks, and their response to these.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cyber security risks to the UK financial sector arising from the use of frontier artificial intelligence models.

Answered by Lord Livermore

His Majesty’s Government has assessed that advances in frontier artificial intelligence models have the potential to increase cyber security risks to the UK financial sector by increasing the speed, scale and accessibility of certain cyber capabilities. In particular, frontier AI models may assist in vulnerability discovery, exploitation, and other cyber operations, potentially shortening the time between vulnerabilities being identified and exploited. While frontier AI models may increase cyber risks, they also present opportunities to strengthen cyber defences and improve resilience.

The Government, working with the Bank of England, the Financial Conduct Authority, the National Cyber Security Centre and the AI Security Institute, continues to monitor developments closely and assess their implications for financial stability and operational resilience.

To support the sector’s preparedness, HM Treasury, the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority have engaged extensively with industry and published a joint statement on frontier AI models and cyber resilience, which sets out the actions firms should take to mitigate cyber risks arising from advanced AI capabilities. The authorities have also drawn attention to relevant guidance produced by the National Cyber Security Centre on AI-enabled cyber threats and cyber resilience. The authorities continue to work with firms through established resilience frameworks and industry bodies, including the Cross Market Operational Resilience Group (CMORG), to ensure that the UK financial sector remains resilient to evolving cyber threats.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of artificial intelligence chatbots and other artificial intelligence tools to provide mental health and wellbeing support.

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

Through the Mental Health Strategy, which will build on the ambitions set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will explore how digital and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies can support better mental health.

We recognise that more people are using generative AI chatbots for mental health advice and support given the unacceptably long waiting times to access support from trained professionals, and the potential risks that they pose, particularly when people seek support from AI chatbots during moments of acute distress.

Digital and AI tools in mental health care can enhance and complement the work of qualified counsellors and psychotherapists. For example, NHS Talking Therapies now offers mental health support through chatbots such as Limbic Access and Wysa, which support patients with completion of self-referral, pre-assessment data collection and help therapists with assessment and triage.

However, the Government is clear that AI chatbots must not replace advice and support from trained medical professionals. Publicly available AI applications that are not deployed by the National Health Service are not regulated as medical technologies. Users are strongly advised to be careful when using unregulated AI applications.

The Government is committed to improving NHS mental health services, so patients receive the right mental health support at the right time, in the right place.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of homework as a means of assessing pupils' learning in light of the increasing use of artificial intelligence.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department continuously monitors the emerging implications of artificial intelligence (AI) on education, including how this may impact tasks like homework.

We are thinking carefully about how we balance the potential benefits of AI with protecting children's learning and development. The department is clear that AI should only be used where it can genuinely augment pupils’ learning experience.

Educators are advised to rely on their professional judgement and understanding of their students’ previous work when determining whether AI has been used to complete homework.

The department’s published policy position on generative AI and our AI support materials set out clear expectations for schools and colleges on the safe, responsible, and ethical use of AI.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of consumer protection legislation in relation to the use of artificially generated or enhanced images in residential property listings.

Answered by Lord Leong - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 protects consumers from unfair trading practices and prohibits traders, including estate agents, from omitting (or providing unclear, untimely or obscure) material information to consumers in any ‘invitation to purchase’.

The Act strengthens consumer law enforcement by giving the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) new administrative powers, and the CMA and courts the ability to impose significant monetary penalties of up to 10% of turnover.

The CMA has issued updated guidance on price transparency and unfair commercial practices to help businesses comply.

In addition, since 1 October 2008 all estate agents in the UK who engage in residential estate agency work are required to belong to an approved redress scheme, either the Property Ombudsman or the Property Redress Scheme. This is a requirement of the Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the resilience of artificial intelligence research infrastructure in extreme weather events.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that critical AI research infrastructure remains resilient and reliable. AIRR systems are hosted in purpose-built data centre environments designed to support high-performance computing, including robust power, cooling and operational resilience measures. Responsibility for day-to-day resilience planning sits with the operators of those facilities, who manage risks including power interruptions, equipment failures and environmental conditions. The Government continues to work with delivery partners to ensure that investments in AI infrastructure are supported by appropriate facilities and operational arrangements.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of artificial intelligence on the availability of graduate training and entry-level professional roles.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

AI will transform workplaces, demanding new skills and augmenting existing roles. To prepare for this the AI and the Future of Work Unit was set up, as a cross‑government function designed to help ensure AI delivers positive outcomes for the economy, jobs, and workers.

The unit published an initial assessment of AI impacts on the labour markets in January 2026. DSIT also published a snapshot of entry-level hiring in the UK last month partnering with LinkedIn. This found that whilst entry level hiring is weak it is broadly in line with the wider labour market. There are certain roles where AI tools have become more capable in recent years, and where entry level hiring is weakening. While this data is consistent with AI having an impact on entry-level hiring, this should not be considered causal evidence.

To further increase government’s capability to assess these impacts and inform relevant policy, we are establishing a new AI Economics Institute incorporating the functions of the Future of Work Unit. We have also launched the Early Careers Job Alliance to map how entry-level work is changing, producing practical help for businesses on how to redesign roles while maintaining entry-level pathways, and identifying early examples of good practice.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the feasibility of delivering the proposed Artificial Intelligence Growth Zones by 2030.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

This Government is committed to delivering the infrastructure needed to support AI-driven growth across the UK. AI Growth Zones, designed to deliver large amounts of AI data centre capacity by 2030, are central to this effort.

We have moved the programme from concept to delivery, with five AI Growth Zones now announced across England, Wales, and Scotland. We are delivering sites capable of supporting the next generation of AI infrastructure in the UK and the programme is set to deliver over 15,000 jobs and £28.2 billion in investment.

Site developers are responsible for delivering the built infrastructure and government is delivering the policy reforms needed to unblock and accelerate delivery. This includes action on power, planning, grid access, and local benefits, with up to £5 million available to support skills and AI adoption in each AI Growth Zone.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of artificial intelligence on employment in occupations with high exposure to generative artificial intelligence.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises that AI is transforming workplaces, demanding new skills and augmenting existing roles. We have launched the AI and the Future of Work Unit - a cross-government function dedicated to ensuring AI delivers positive outcomes for the economy, jobs, and workers.

The Unit published an initial assessment of AI impacts on the labour markets in January 2026. This highlighted IMF estimates that around 70% of UK workers are in occupations containing tasks that AI could potentially perform or enhance – a higher share than the US and other advanced economies (around 60%), reflecting the UK's service-sector-intensive economy. Around half of these exposed workers are in 'high complementarity' roles, where AI may be more likely to boost efficiency and productivity, while the other half are in 'low complementarity' roles where AI may be more likely to perform tasks currently delivered by human labour.

To date, however, there is little conclusive evidence demonstrating a causal link between AI impacts and a reduction in employment levels. Several analyses find that job postings have declined more sharply in occupations with higher AI exposure, but establishing whether AI is causing these patterns remains challenging.

To further increase government's capability to assess these impacts and inform relevant policy, we are establishing a new AI Economics Institute, incorporating the Future of Work Unit, but with a broader focus on the economics of AI. A key consideration will be whether AI gains are broadly shared across regions, income groups, sectors and generations and that the opportunities are accessible, regardless of background, gender or geography.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of artificial intelligence to support the early identification of hospital-acquired infections in NHS hospitals.

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

The UK Health Security Agency is currently exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) technologies may be used across a range of public health analyses and threat identification.

Hospital acquired infections (HAIs) are a major public health concern because bacteria in healthcare settings are often exposed to antibiotics, increasing the likelihood that they will develop resistance. These resistant infections are more difficult to treat and can lead to poorer patient outcomes. Through the Pathogen Risk Intelligence Modelling Project, we are generating metagenomic data from wastewater and air samples collected in hospitals and using AI and, in particular, supervised machine learning, to track the spread of antimicrobial resistance between different types of bacteria. Wastewater metagenomic surveillance is a cost-effective approach that provides a broad picture of microbial communities without targeting specific species. Our aim is to detect emerging resistance early, enabling healthcare professionals to take timely infection prevention and control measures. We are currently evaluating the performance of this approach to determine how effectively it can identify and monitor antibiotic resistance in realworld healthcare settings.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of artificial intelligence-driven automation for working hours in sectors affected by significant technological change.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises that AI is transforming workplaces, demanding new skills and augmenting existing roles. We have launched the AI and the Future of Work Unit — a cross-government function dedicated to ensuring AI delivers positive outcomes for the economy, jobs, and workers.

The Unit published an initial assessment of AI impacts on the labour markets in January 2026. This highlighted IMF estimates that around 70% of UK workers are in occupations containing tasks that AI could potentially perform or enhance. Around half of these exposed workers are in 'high complementarity' roles, where AI may be more likely to boost efficiency and productivity, while the other half are in 'low complementarity' roles where AI may be more likely to perform tasks currently delivered by human labour.

To further increase the Government's capability to assess these impacts — including the sectoral effects of AI — we have announced a new AI Economics Institute, which will absorb the Future of Work Unit and broaden and deepen our research and analytical capability on AI's economic impacts and policy implications. Leading AI labs have agreed to collaborate with the Institute so that we have the data needed to underpin this analysis, and the Institute will publish selected research where this supports open debate.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the contribution of investment by artificial intelligence and cyber security companies to the UK technology sector.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The AI and cyber-security sectors make up core parts of the UK’s growing technology sector as set out in the Modern Industrial Strategy digital and technologies sector plan. The UK AI sector alone contributed £11.8 billion in Gross Value Added to the UK economy in 2024, supporting more than 86,000 jobs. We have seen large recent investments in the UK from leading firms, including AMD's £2 billion commitment. In total, over £90 billion of capital investment has been pledged to be spent in the UK's AI sector since this Government came to power.

The Government’s Cyber Security Sectoral Analysis 2026 shows the UK cyber security sector is worth £14.7 billion and contributed £9.1 billion in GVA to the UK economy in 2025. The analysis found that UK dedicated cyber security firms raised £184 million of investment across 47 deals in 2025. Notable fundraisings in 2025 include Inforcer, which raised £26 million; Maze with £18.4 million and Optalysys with £23 million.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of artificial intelligence by tenants to assist in disputes with landlords and letting agents.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government has not undertaken a formal assessment of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by tenants to assist in disputes with landlords and letting agents.

Government-approved property agent redress schemes operate independently and are responsible for their own complaint-handling processes, including how they accommodate material prepared using AI. The department will continue to monitor developments in this area through its oversight of the schemes and other sources of data.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to the legal statement on liability for AI harms by the UK Jurisdiction Taskforce made in July, what assessment they have made of expectations that legal professionals use artificial intelligence as part of competent legal practice.

Answered by Lord Lemos - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Government welcomes the UK Jurisdiction Taskforce's Legal Statement on Liability for AI Harms, which provides helpful analysis of how existing principles of English law may apply to liability arising from the use of AI.

Decisions about the professional standards expected of legal practitioners, including the competent use of AI and other technologies, are matters for the independent legal services regulators. In 2024, the Legal Services Board issued statutory guidance encouraging regulators to support the responsible adoption of technology by improving access to legal services, balancing the benefits and risks of innovation and fostering a regulatory environment that provides greater clarity for technology providers and innovators.

Building on this, the Ministry of Justice has worked with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the Legal Services Board, the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers and the Information Commissioner's Office to establish the Advisory AI Growth Lab for legal services, launched in June 2026. The Growth Lab brings together Government and regulators to provide coordinated, non-binding advice on how existing regulatory frameworks apply to AI-enabled products and services, giving organisations greater confidence to innovate responsibly while ensuring legal professionals continue to meet their existing regulatory obligations.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect consumers from artificial intelligence-enabled financial fraud and scams conducted through online platforms and messaging services.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government is deeply concerned by the devastating impact online fraud can have on victims, both financially and emotionally, including that which is artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled.

That is why, under the Online Safety Act (OSA), the Government has taken action to ensure online platforms and services are required to implement robust preventative measures to stop fraudulent content from reaching potential victims. AI content is treated no differently to other types of content under the OSA – if it is fraudulent in nature, platforms are required to prevent it from reaching users and take swift action if it does appear.

From mid-2027 the largest in-scope companies will also be required to take greater steps to prevent fraudulent adverts from appearing, including those that are AI-enabled.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of electricity network connection delays on the delivery of artificial intelligence data centre developments.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises that growth in AI and data centres is increasing electricity demand and that grid connection delays are a major barrier to new capacity in the UK.

To address this, the Government is reforming the connections process to better support strategically important demand, including data centres. Working with DESNZ, Ofgem and the National Energy System Operator, reforms will reduce delays, limit speculative applications and prioritise viable projects, helping unlock capacity faster while maintaining security of supply. Through the AI Energy Council, co-chaired by the Secretaries of State for DBIST and DESNZ, DBIST is exploring resilient, sustainable and scalable.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of complaints generated by AI on the capacity of legal complaints handling services.

Answered by Lord Lemos - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The legal profession in England and Wales, together with its regulators and the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC), operates independently of government. Legal services providers handle complaints about their services in the first instance. The OLC administers the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) scheme, which considers service complaints that have not been resolved by providers, while the legal services regulators consider concerns about professional conduct. The Legal Services Board (LSB) oversees the legal services regulators and the OLC.

The Government has not undertaken a specific assessment of the impact of AI-generated complaints. However, through its regular engagement with these bodies, the Ministry of Justice is aware that AI can help consumers articulate and pursue complaints but may also increase demand and place additional pressure on complaints-handling services.

For example, the LeO has reported a record 37% increase in new complaints in 2025–26. It has identified increased use of AI as a driver of this demand and also as a factor increasing the complexity of the complaints it receives. The OLC is responding through operational improvements and a longer-term transformation programme, using technology and AI.

The recently published independent review of the LSB also recognises the importance of maintaining effective consumer redress and ensuring the legal services regulatory framework is equipped to respond to emerging risks, including those associated with technology and AI. The Government is considering the review's recommendations and will set out its response in due course.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of existing insurance arrangements to cover liabilities arising from the use of autonomous artificial intelligence systems.

Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Working closely with the Bank of England, the Financial Conduct Authority and other relevant bodies, the Government continues to monitor the opportunities and risks associated with the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology across the economy.

The Government's current view is that the existing regulatory framework is well placed to manage the evolving risks associated with AI, while supporting innovation and growth. Firms remain responsible for managing the risks arising from their activities, including the use of AI systems, and insurers continue to assess and price risks in accordance with existing legal and regulatory requirements.

The safe adoption of AI by the financial services sector is a major strategic opportunity, with the potential to power growth across the UK. As set out in the government’s Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, the ambition is to make the UK ”the world’s most technologically advanced global financial sector”, leveraging the UK’s dual strengths in FS and AI to drive growth, productivity, and so deliver customer benefit.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial stability risks arising from the increasing use of autonomous artificial intelligence agents in financial markets.

Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government’s ambition is to make the UK a global leader in AI. Encouraging safe adoption is an essential part of realising that ambition. We will continue to work closely with regulators and industry to ensure innovation proceeds safely and responsibly and that any risks to financial markets are identified and mitigated.

In particular, the Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC) is responsible for identifying, monitoring and taking action to remove or reduce systemic risks to the UK financial system. The FPC’s April 2025 Financial Stability in Focus publication set out potential risks to financial stability that could result from increasing AI use, including market related risks, and their response to these.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of limited access to frontier artificial intelligence models for the competitiveness of the UK's financial services sector.

Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government believes that the safe adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) by the financial services sector is a major strategic opportunity, with the potential to power growth across the UK. As set out in the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, it is the government’s ambition to make the UK ”the world’s most technologically advanced global financial sector”, leveraging our dual strengths in Financial Services (FS) and AI to drive growth and productivity, and deliver consumer benefits.

The FS AI Adoption Plan, authored by the FS AI Champions, Harriet Rees and Rohit Dhawan, is an important step towards achieving that aim, and sets out the next steps for industry, regulators, and government to grasp the opportunities for safe adoption of AI in FS.

The government works closely with the Financial Conduct Authority, the Prudential Regulation Authority, and the AI Safety Institute to monitor developments in AI capability and access across the sector.

The government is aware that access constraints may arise for a number of reasons, however it is not currently concerned about the availability of frontier models for UK FS firms.

The government will continue to monitor this issue and will consider what further steps may be necessary to ensure that the UK financial services sector can access the AI capabilities it needs to remain globally competitive. We are also supporting the UK’s own sovereign AI capabilities through the Sovereign AI Unit backed by £500mn of funding.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the expansion of artificial intelligence companies on demand for commercial office space in London.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises the significant contribution that AI companies make to economic growth and innovation.

Demand for commercial office space in London is influenced by a range of factors, including wider economic conditions, business investment and workplace trends. The expansion of AI companies may contribute to demand for office space, particularly in innovation and technology clusters, but the Government does not routinely assess the impact of individual sectors on the commercial property market.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Office for Budget Responsibility's projection that public sector debt could reach 300 per cent of GDP by 2075.

Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Office for Budget Responsibility’s Fiscal Risks and Sustainability Report (FRS) 2026 confirms the need to boost growth and maintain sustainable public finances. A written ministerial statement (HLWS199) was published on 7 July alongside the publication of the FRS, setting out the actions the government is taking to reduce the deficit and ensure long-term sustainability.^[1]

^[1] Fiscal Risks and Sustainability Report 2026 – Written Ministerial Statement, UK Parliament, 7^th July 2026.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of artificial intelligence by the Financial Conduct Authority to support the handling of supervisory cases.

Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The FCA is operationally independent of government, and as such the government has not made an assessment of its use of artificial intelligence (AI). The FCA is accountable to the government and Parliament for the exercise of its functions.

The government is committed to the safe and responsible adoption of AI across the economy, and welcomes regulators considering how they can use AI in a way that improves efficiency, while keeping human judgement central to decision-making.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of artificial intelligence-powered real-time translation and transcription technologies to improve accessibility for people with hearing impairments and those facing language barriers.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The government understands that there is potential for artificial intelligence to support people with accessibility needs, including those who are Deaf or hard of hearing or face language barriers.

The Government Digital Service (GDS) will undertake analysis and research on how artificial intelligence and frontier technologies could improve accessibility for disabled users in digital public sector services.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of live facial recognition systems by retailers to identify suspected offenders and alert the police.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

Police and private live facial recognition systems are procured and operated independently of government. However, the government welcomes the guidance provided to private operators by the Information Commissioners Office and support retailers’ use of technology to protect their staff, customers and property.

To this end, through the Retail Crime Forum, we are actively engaged with retailers and law enforcement agencies to strengthen digital evidence-sharing and the responsible use of facial recognition technology, making it easier to identify repeat offenders and build stronger cases against them.

For example, shops and business are encouraged to send images they capture of criminals on their CCTV systems to the police. These can then be searched by police investigators against a police database of images of people who have previously been arrested, using retrospective facial recognition, to try and identify the offender.

We also launched a public consultation last year to support development of a new legal framework for law enforcement’s use of facial recognition technology, which will ultimately support responsible increase in its use. The consultation asked questions about whether the framework should extend to private users of facial recognition such as retailers, and the Government are working through the responses and policy implications.

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the licensing of datasets held by publicly funded museums for the development of artificial intelligence models.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Our publicly funded museums hold a wealth and diversity of rich cultural assets across a broad range of disciplines. We are collectively in the process of evaluating these datasets’ application for licensing to AI models and other data users. That is why the Government is funding the Creative Content Exchange (CCE) pilot to learn more about demand for cultural data and the frameworks through which licensing to trusted users could take place at scale responsibly.

The CCE is in a pilot phase. Participation is entirely voluntary, and datasets from several public institutions are live on the platform. Learning from the pilot will help determine next steps.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government assessment they have made of the use of artificially generated images to mislead local housing authorities in the exercise of their enforcement functions.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My department has made no assessment of the use of artificially generated images in relation to the housing enforcement functions of local housing authorities.