Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Anum Qaisar Excerpts
Wednesday 15th November 2023

(1 year ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Whittingdale Portrait Sir John Whittingdale
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I have a great deal of sympathy with my right hon. Friend’s question, as I know that this matter is causing concern for a number of Members. We are very keen that unnecessary infrastructure should not be built where existing ducts can be used. We have set out regulations on that, and Ofcom oversees it. Local authorities will be able to make reports to Ofcom if existing ducts are not being sufficiently used and it is felt that the infrastructure is not necessary.

Anum Qaisar Portrait Ms Anum Qaisar (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)
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3. What steps her Department is taking to tackle harmful AI-generated content on social media.

Owen Thompson Portrait Owen Thompson (Midlothian) (SNP)
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9. What steps her Department is taking to tackle harmful AI-generated content on social media.

Saqib Bhatti Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Saqib Bhatti)
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The Online Safety Act 2023, which recently received Royal Assent, has been designed to keep pace with emerging technologies. The Act will regulate AI-generated content in much the same way that it does content created by humans. It covers AI-generated content shared by users with other users, search results generated by AI and AI-generated pornography. In addition, the Act will criminalise the sharing of deepfake intimate image abuse, including when that is AI-generated.

Anum Qaisar Portrait Ms Qaisar
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May I take this opportunity to welcome the Minister to the Dispatch Box? I will not embarrass him by calling him a friend, but I wish him the best of luck.

As the world transitions into the new age of AI, the Tories are leaving the people of Scotland at risk from harmful AI-generated content and social media. Will the Minister outline why the Scottish Government was blocked from participating in one of the first major AI safety summits?

Saqib Bhatti Portrait Saqib Bhatti
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I thank the hon. Member—I will embarrass her and say that we are friends. However, I respectfully disagree, because the Scottish people were represented by the UK Government.