Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade what assessment he has made of the potential impact of artificial intelligence on availability of jobs in the (a) legal and (b) financial sectors; and what steps he is taking to support workers transitioning to new roles.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
In November 2023, the Department for Education published a report showing the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on areas within the UK labour market and education The impact of AI on UK jobs and training - GOV.UK. The report noted that professional occupations are more exposed to AI, particularly those associated with more clerical work and across finance, law and business management roles.
The government is committed to ensuring both learners and employers have access to crucial digital and artificial intelligence skills that have the potential to increase productivity and create new high value jobs in the UK economy. To achieve this, the government is reforming the skills system. The government has established Skills England to form a coherent national picture of skills gaps and to help shape the technical education system so that it is responsive to skills needs.
AI has the potential to bring significant benefits to legal professionals by automating routine work, allowing them to focus on matters of higher value and interest. AI and lawtech is also creating new jobs within the profession, such as legal technologists and tech developers.
Supporting the safe adoption of AI in legal services is essential to ensuring the sector remains world leading. The Ministry of Justice does this via LawtechUK, a grant funded industry led programme created to support the development of lawtech. Across the past year LawtechUK has hosted a series on Generative AI, brining experts in law, technology, and regulation to explore the benefits of AI and how to mitigate any risks.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the Fireworks Regulations 2004 in protecting (a) people and (b) animals from negative impacts of fireworks.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The current regulatory framework is designed to support people to enjoy fireworks whilst lowering the risk of dangers and disruption to people, pets, and property. The Government recently launched an awareness campaign on the Gov.uk website to provide guidance on minimising the impacts of fireworks on people and animals.
To inform any future decisions on the legislative framework, the Government intends to engage with stakeholders to gather evidence on the issues and impacts of fireworks.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department plans to host a further investment summit in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Northern Ireland Investment Summit was approved by our current Prime Minister when he was the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Currently there are no plans for another Summit, but we are working to ensure a strong legacy from it, including linked activity such as the No. 10 hosted Venture Capital Roundtable, aimed at encouraging venture capital investment into Northern Ireland.
We also offered support for Joe Kennedy III’s incoming mission to Northern Ireland in October 2023 (US Special Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland).
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions she has had with Royal Mail on the impact on consumers of the rise of the cost of postal services.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
The Government does not have a role in Royal Mail’s commercial decisions, including the prices of stamps and other services.
In setting its prices, Royal Mail must observe the regulatory framework set by Ofcom which imposes prices controls, ‘safeguard caps’, on certain second-class products to ensure a basic universal service is available to all at affordable prices.
Ofcom will conduct a public consultation in 2023-24 to inform a review of the safeguard caps that should apply from April 2024.