Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and (b) civil society as part of negotiations towards digital trade ambitions outlined in the General terms for the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Economic Prosperity Deal, last updated on 20 June 2025.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The UK and US are continuing talks on a wider UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal which will look at increasing digital trade, improving access for our world-leading services industries and improving supply chains. The deal opens the way to a future UK US technology partnership through which our science-rich nations will collaborate in key areas of advanced technology, for example biotech, life sciences, quantum computing, nuclear fusion, aerospace and space.

This landmark economic agreement comes off the back of close collaboration between DBT and DSIT Ministers and officials. The PM, Business Secretary, and other Ministers across government have regular engagement with industry, civil society and businesses on a range of priorities.

We will continue our engagement with stakeholders from across the UK, including civil society, on the EPD throughout these remaining negotiations and the implementation of the deal.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the differences in remit are between the (a) AI Security Institute and (b) Alan Turing Institute.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

• The AI Security Institute (AISI) was set up to equip governments with a scientific understanding of the risks posed by advanced AI. AISI researches these risks, their potential impacts, and develops potential risk mitigations.
• The Alan Turing Institute is the national institute for data science and artificial intelligence. It aims to develop world-class research, contribute to training to build skills for the future, and drive informed public conversation on AI.
• The Secretary of State has proposed a shift in its remit towards national security, defence, and sovereignty. The ATI is an independent organisation, and this realignment process is being handled internally.
• Realising the economic potential of Artificial Intelligence is a priority for this Government. The Alan Turing Institute and AI Security Institute work is complementary to ensure we fully exploit the benefits of AI while mitigating risks.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the average market value of off-road bikes that have been (a) seized and (b) destroyed under powers introduced in 2025 to help tackle antisocial behaviour.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission to take back our streets.

The Crime and Policing Bill will give the police greater powers to clamp down on anti-social behaviour involving vehicles, including off-road bikes, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing these vehicles. Subject to parliamentary approval, the Crime and Policing Bill is expected to secure Royal Assent around the turn of the year.

On 28 May 2025, we published a consultation on amendments to secondary legislation on proposals to allow the police to dispose of seized vehicles such as off-road bikes, which have been used anti-socially from 14 days to 48 hours. We expect any changes to secondary legislation to come into force in early 2026.

The Home Office does not hold data on the number or value of off-road bikes that have been seized or destroyed under existing powers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which technologies will deliver improved wifi access on the East Coast Main Line.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department continues to work closely with Network Rail and industry to look at solutions to improve connectivity on trains, which includes rolling out rail 5G on the rail network.

Following the spending review, funding has been made available to invest in low earth orbit satellite connectivity, to improve passenger mobile connectivity. We also continue to work closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to develop further interventions on the railway.

The department has been working with Network Rail to deliver improved connectivity on the rail corridor. Project Reach, which will renew fibre optic cables & address signals in mainline tunnels and stations was signed 26 June 2025 between Network Rail, and telecoms companies, Neos Networks and Freshwave .

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many and what proportion of Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme payments have been paid to the loaning bank following (a) default and (b) bankruptcy by the business to which the loan was made; and what the value was of each of those loans.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

As at 31 March 2025, 8,755 (9.0% of the total) Coronavirus Business Interruption Scheme (CBILS) loans have had the government guarantee paid out. The monetary value of the guarantees paid out is £996.3mn, or 3.9% of the total the CBILS draw down value. The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) does not hold data detailing the reason for borrower default, including where bankruptcy is the reason for default.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of taking legislative steps to require social media platforms to enable users to transfer their (a) data, (b) content and (c) connections between competing services, in the context of the Digital Choice Act in Utah, US.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Article 20 of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) already provides individuals with a right to ‘data portability’. It applies where an individual has provided their personal data to one data controller based on consent or a contract and wants that organisation to transmit it directly to another data controller. The right only applies to personal data that is being processed by automated means and where the transmission would be technically feasible.

The Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK’s independent regulator for data protection, has published guidance for organisations on the right to data portability, which can be viewed at Right to data portability | ICO.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to take steps through a regulatory framework for artificial intelligence to (a) mandate safety-by-design principles, (b) mitigate potential harms and (c) prevent AI-generated child sexual abuse material.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

As set out in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, we believe most AI systems should be regulated at the point of use, with our expert regulators best placed to do so. Departments are working proactively with regulators to provide clear strategic direction and support them on their AI capability needs.

On Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) specifically, creating, possessing, or distributing AI-generated CSAM is illegal, and the Online Safety Act requires services to identify and remove it. We are also taking further action in the Crime and Policing Bill to criminalise AI models which have been optimised to create CSAM.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure that SMEs are not required to submit the same data to different government (a) departments and (b) agencies.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

We want to free up business owners to focus on running their businesses and our SME Strategy will set out steps to reduce duplication and streamline data-sharing across Government.

This includes simplifying and digitising forms and exploring how services like GOV.UK One Login could offer businesses a more joined-up experience. The Prime Minister has committed to cutting the administrative cost of regulation by 25% by the end of this Parliament. By removing duplication and making services more responsive, we will help SMEs save time and money, enabling them to innovate, grow and drive economic prosperity.

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 economic impact of the UK-US trade deal on businesses in the North East.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Prime Minister, Business Secretary and other Ministers across government have been engaging widely on the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal (EPD) with business organisations and companies from across the economy, including in the North East.

This deal protects jobs in the automotive, steel, aluminium, pharmaceutical and aerospace sectors - sectors that employ over 320,000 people across the UK and almost 26,000 people in the North East in particular. The EPD provides much needed certainty and confidence, which is crucial for supporting a robust UK supply chain in these industries

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will request that the Office for Budget Responsibility model an AI-accelerated productivity scenario alongside potential fiscal risks for (a) climate change, (b) demographic and (c) other trends.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has issued guidance to the Office for Budget Responsibility on the potential inclusion of (a) technological disruption and (b) artificial intelligence in its long-term economic modelling.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has requested that the Office for Budget Responsibility assess the potential fiscal impacts of artificial intelligence.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the levels of resilience in the UK tax system of a shift from labour-intensive to capital-intensive economic models.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

It is vital the tax system supports our growth mission. The Government is focused on unleashing the potential of people across all nations and regions of the UK, with an ambition of an 80 per cent employment rate.

The Government continues to keep all elements of the tax system under review.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what funding is available to support the refurbishment of (a) the Swing Bridge in Newcastle and (b) other British industrial heritage.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Newcastle’s Swing Bridge is a Scheduled Monument and Grade II* listed structure. Support for the refurbishment of the bridge and other industrial heritage may be available through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Arms-Length Bodies.

Historic England, DCMS Arms-Length Body and government’s statutory adviser on the historic environment, also offers grants for the repair and conservation of historic buildings, monuments, and landscapes that are of national importance. Historic England is currently involved in ongoing discussions on restoring movement to the bridge and is supporting relevant stakeholders in its repair.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund awards grants ranging from £10,000 up to £10 million for projects that conserve and enhance heritage, making it accessible to everyone. Last year it invested £330 million in the nation's heritage.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Safer Streets Summer Blitz on crime levels in Elswick.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Safer Streets Summer Initiative will see a drive to reduce town centre criminality, shop theft, street crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB) across England and Wales.

Running from 30 June to the end of September, it is focused on preventing crime and ASB in town centres through visible policing and swift, meaningful consequences for offenders. Crucially, this is a partnership-led approach. Police and Crime Commissioners and Deputy Mayors have submitted delivery plans outlining how they will work with councils, schools, health services, businesses, transport providers, and community organisations to tackle ASB, retail crime, and street crime.

We are monitoring activity monthly through national and local data to evidence outcomes of the Initiative. We will also be capturing local qualitative insights to understand progress and share learning across police forces and partners.

Across Northumbria police force area there are seventeen locations taking part in the Safer Streets Summer Initiative, including Elswick.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in employer National Insurance contributions on levels of youth employment in the North East.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

A detailed assessment of the policy has been published by HMRC in their Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN). The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) also publishes Economic and Fiscal Outlooks (EFOs), which set out a detailed forecast of the economy and public finances. With all policies considered, the OBR's March 2025 EFO forecasts the employment level to increase from 33.6 million in 2024 to 34.8 million in 2029.

This Government is committed to providing young people with the best start to their working lives. We have committed to deliver a Youth Guarantee so that all 18 to 21-year-olds in England have access to education, training or help to find a job or an apprenticeship. The Government is also expanding Sector-based Work Academy Programmes to provide 100,000 places in 2025/26, providing a work placement, training and a guaranteed interview that can kickstart a new career and support young people into work.

Found: With best wishes, Dame Chi Onwurah Chair, Science, Innovation and Technology Committee

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Found: Current membership Dame Chi Onwurah (Labour; Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West) (Chair) Emily Darlington

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Found: Watch the meeting Science, Innovation and Technology Committee members present: Dame Chi Onwurah (Chair

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