Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of requiring independent safety assessments before AI systems with dangerous offensive capabilities are developed.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
AI is a general-purpose technology with a wide range of applications, which is why the UK believes that the vast majority of AI systems should be regulated at the point of use. In response to the AI Action Plan, the government committed to work with regulators to boost their capabilities.
The role of the AI Security Institute (AISI) is to build an evidence base of these risks, to inform government decision making and help make AI more secure and reliable.
AISI works in close collaboration with AI companies to assess model safeguards and suggest mitigations. To date, AISI has tested over 30 models from leading AI companies, including OpenAI, Google DeepMind and Anthropic. AISI’s findings lead to tangible changes to AI models before deployment, reducing the risk from day one.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help tackle food poverty.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are committed to tackling poverty and ending mass dependence on emergency food parcels.
In the Good Food Cycle, published last July, we made improving access to healthy and affordable food, targeting costs that lead to food price inflation, and supporting those who most need access to healthy affordable nutrition, key priorities for Government.
The Crisis and Resilience Fund will also support people on low incomes and in need of immediate financial support.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to reduce the level of ammonia pollution from poultry farming.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Large intensive poultry farms with livestock place numbers above specified size thresholds are regulated under the Environmental Permitting Regulations. The operators of these farms must hold a permit which requires implementation of best available techniques to reduce pollutant emissions, including ammonia. Regulated premises are regularly inspected to ensure compliance with permit conditions. BAT is reviewed periodically which delivers continuous improvement in environmental performance.