Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department is taking to help prevent films that have had their audiovisual material created by generative AI applications from claiming the AVEC and IFTC tax credits.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Details on the eligibility criteria for the Audio Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC) and Independent Film Tax Credit (IFTC) can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-audio-visual-expenditure-credits-for-corporation-tax.
The Government continues to monitor the use of AI in film production and keeps the tax system under constant review.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether a film can qualify for the AVEC and IFTC tax credits if all other eligible criteria is met but all the images and audio were created by AI.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Details on the eligibility criteria for the Audio Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC) and Independent Film Tax Credit (IFTC) can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-audio-visual-expenditure-credits-for-corporation-tax.
The Government continues to monitor the use of AI in film production and keeps the tax system under constant review.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the planned closure of Army Training Regiment Winchester on Army Phase 1 training capacity.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
There is no projected impact to Army Basic Training capacity due to the closure of Army Training Regiment Winchester.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the benefits of updating the Education Act 1944 with regard to distance thresholds for school transport.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government is committed to creating opportunities for all children so that they can achieve and thrive. The department’s home-to-school travel policy aims to make sure that no child is prevented from accessing education by a lack of transport.
The eligibility criteria are set out in the Education Act 1996 and were amended by the Education and Inspections Act 2006. Whilst the statutory walking distances have been in place since the 1940s, children within walking distance can now also have free travel if they cannot walk to school because of their special educational needs, disability or mobility problem, or because the route is unsafe. Extended rights to home to school travel now support school choice for children from low-income families where the cost of transport may otherwise be a barrier. We do not currently have any plans to change the existing statutory framework for home to school travel.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
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 risk of the widespread use of artificial intelligence systems on children.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government takes the safety of children extremely seriously. We recognise the potential risks that AI systems pose, and that is why strong protections already apply. Under the Online Safety Act, in-scope AI services must assess the risk of harm to users from illegal content on their services and implement measures to manage and mitigate this risk. Where services are likely to be accessed by children, they will be required to take action to protect them from harmful content. In‑scope AI services must assess and mitigate the risk of illegal content, including AI‑generated material.
Government has been clear that it will continue to take further action where required. We have introduced new offences in the Crime and Policing Bill to criminalise AI tools designed to generate child sexual abuse material. Additionally, the Secretary of State has confirmed in Parliament that the government is exploring how emerging services, such as AI chatbots, interact with the Online Safety Act and what further measures may be required.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
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 adequacy of the UK's artificial intelligence regulation.
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 Opportunities Action Plan, the Government committed to work with regulators to boost their capabilities.
This is complemented by the work of the AI Security Institute which has deepened our understanding of the critical security risks posed by frontier.
The Government will act where evidence shows further measures are needed. New offences in the Crime and Policing Bill will criminalise AI tools designed to generate child sexual abuse material. The Secretary of State has also confirmed that the Government is examining how emerging AI services, such as chatbots, interact with the Online Safety Act, and what further measures may be required. The Government remains committed to ensuring the UK is prepared for the changes AI will bring.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether mandatory testing of seized illegal meat imports includes testing for infectious agents such as foot-and-mouth disease, African swine fever, and antimicrobial resistance genes.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra does not test seized illegal meat imports for infectious agents. Border Force and local authorities seize illegal meat imports, which must be safely disposed of in accordance with animal by-products rules.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how his Department calculated the cost of additional spending on medicines over the spending review period.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In relation to the recently announced plans to increase the standard cost-effectiveness threshold used by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), costs will start smaller but will increase over time as NICE approves more life improving and life-saving medicines. Total costs over the Spending Review period are expected to be approximately £1 billion. The final costs will depend on which medicines NICE recommends and the actual uptake of these.
We have no plans to publish an impact assessment or details of the modelling which led to this estimated figure. This deal is a vital investment that builds on the strength of our National Health Service and world leading life sciences without taking essential funding from our frontline NHS services.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with the US ambassador on the potential summoning of Jonathan Benger.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Ministers, officials and executives from a wide range of UK departments and agencies are in regular dialogue with US interlocutors on an equally wide range of issues. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not hold records of all such discussions.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department instructed Jonathan Benger to meet with the United States Ambassador.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Ministers, officials and executives from a wide range of UK departments and agencies are in regular dialogue with US interlocutors on an equally wide range of issues. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not hold records of all such discussions.