Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to implement improvements to the West of England rail line in the context of the cancellation of the A303 Stonehenge road improvement scheme.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has no plans for enhancements to the West of England line at this time. Government investment priorities for rail enhancements in England and Wales will be set out following the conclusion of the Spending Review next month.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps Great British Rail plans to take to help improve (a) travel times, (b) punctuality and (c) passenger experience on the West of England line.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Services operated by South Western Railway, which operates the West of England line, will transfer into public ownership when their contract expires on 25 May 2025. Under public ownership, passenger services will be operated in the interests of passengers, not shareholders.
Bringing train operations into public ownership is the first step in the Government’s plans for wider rail reform. The Railways Bill will be introduced later this session, which will enable the establishment of Great British Railways (GBR). GBR will have the tools and operational independence it needs to plan and run the rail system on a long-term basis to deliver for passengers and freight customers.
Through these reforms we will deliver better quality services for passengers and freight customers, resulting in fewer delays and a timetable that better serves their needs.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to implement the ruling on For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025 in the armed forces.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
16 April 2025 saw the Supreme Court ruling that sex is to be understood as biological sex for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010. Updated Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) guidance will be available in due course, and we’ll consider how this affects our policies when the detail is shared.
Our priority is to ensure that all our people in Defence have the support and facilities they need.
The Government remains committed to dignity and respect for all, and this has been reaffirmed by the Supreme Court.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Gurkhas will be recruited in each of the next five years.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Gurkhas have made an outstanding contribution to the UK through their years of dedicated service to the Crown and are held in high esteem by the British Army and public alike.
The number of recruits required for the Brigade of Gurkhas is managed on an annual basis and depends on factors such as retirements, transfers and any changes in unit Order of Battles. Therefore, the Army cannot provide confirmation on the likely number of Gurkha recruits for each of the next five years.
The British Army’s wish to recruit women has been communicated to the Government of Nepal and we will continue to engage them on this subject.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when female Gurkha soldiers will be recruited.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Gurkhas have made an outstanding contribution to the UK through their years of dedicated service to the Crown and are held in high esteem by the British Army and public alike.
The number of recruits required for the Brigade of Gurkhas is managed on an annual basis and depends on factors such as retirements, transfers and any changes in unit Order of Battles. Therefore, the Army cannot provide confirmation on the likely number of Gurkha recruits for each of the next five years.
The British Army’s wish to recruit women has been communicated to the Government of Nepal and we will continue to engage them on this subject.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, which (a) generative AI or (b) large language models are in use in the public sector; and whether these models were (i) developed internally and (ii) are commercially available.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
There are a number of Generative AI and LLM models used across HMG. The Government publishes information on the use of these in the public sector through the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard, available on GOV.UK. These records show that departments use a mixture of in-house and commercial solutions, including tools built on foundational models. Use cases range from operational support to decision-making aids, and are subject to appropriate oversight and assurance processes
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential use of (a) AI and (b) large language models in the public sector; and whether there are any pilots currently underway.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Cabinet Office on behalf of government has assessed the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) across the Civil Service, aiming to identify areas offering the highest value and impact. A number of pilot projects are underway across multiple departments. Pilots are currently underway for a range of tools investigating the potential impact on productivity and employee satisfaction, trials will be published once analysis has been completed.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what guidance his Department has issued to public sector organisations on storing data generated by (a) AI and (b) large language models.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government Digital Service in DSIT has issued an AI playbook (available on gov.uk) which gives departments advice on governing their use of AI, including large language models (LLMs). The ‘Data Protection and Privacy’ section in the AI playbook sets out data protection principles relevant to the use of AI, including ‘storage limitation’.
The use of AI and Large Language Models for government business engages the department’s record’s management responsibilities and will be managed in accordance with the Code of Practice on the management of records issued under section 46 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Whether such information is retained and the period for which it is retained will vary depending on the technology used.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether National Cyber Security Centre guidelines are used to assess the potential impact of AI on the public sector.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) guidance is a key resource used by the Government when assessing the potential impact of AI on government and the broader public sector. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the Cabinet Office incorporate NCSC guidance and actively engage with their subject matter experts when developing policy and guidance, including the AI Playbook.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for the NHS of the use of (a) generative AI and (b) large language models; and whether pilot schemes are underway to assess potential uses.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
New artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are being developed that have the potential to improve healthcare delivery and to provide significant cost savings to the National Health Service. One example is the use of automated voice to text tools, which use generative AI to listen to and transcribe patient notes.
Currently, there are ongoing assessments of the use of these tools in the NHS as these technologies could help ease the administrative burden faced by staff and make systems more efficient. Several NHS trusts are running trials, including a multi-site assessment of the impact of using automated transcription software. The NHS AI team is monitoring these developments and developing guidance for the responsible use of these tools. This guidance will be informed by the Government’s broader guidance on the use of Generative AI in the public sector.
There are strict safeguards in place throughout the NHS to protect data. All providers of services which handle patient data must protect that data in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and Data Protection Act 2018, and every health organisation is required to appoint a Caldicott Guardian to advise on the protection of people’s health and care data, and ensure it is used properly. This includes where AI is used in relation to patient records.
To mitigate the likelihood and severity of any potential harm to individuals arising from use of data in AI, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has developed detailed AI guidance which provides an overarching view of data protection, including Data Protection Impact Assessments and UK GDPR. It has also produced an AI toolkit to support organisations auditing compliance of their AI-based technologies. NHS bodies are expected to make use of this guidance and toolkit.