UK-based Tech Companies

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Wednesday 11th March 2026 Westminster Hall

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

As always, it is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Betts; thank you for all you do for us in relation to Westminster Hall. I also thank the hon. Member for Bromley and Biggin Hill (Peter Fortune) for raising this issue and thereby giving us all an opportunity to participate in this debate—and it is always good to see the Minister in his place. I wish him well in the role that he plays and we very much look forward to hearing his response to the debate.

I always say good things about Northern Ireland, but today I want to talk about the things that I believe put us at the top of the tree when it comes to cyber-security. Northern Ireland has become the cyber-security centre of Europe—it is increasingly possible that it might even be the global cyber-security centre—but that situation did not simply arise out of nowhere. There has been a dedicated focus on investing in the sector, and on training young people to think differently and to become involved in it.

My parliamentary aide attended a grammar school that typically focused on maths, English language and science, yet she recalls a careers day when an adviser from Queen’s University in Belfast came in and advised her and her classmates to consider tech and computer science, saying that those would be the future of employment and job security in Northern Ireland. That was back in the year 2000. How right and how prophetic that university adviser was.

Sometimes along life’s way we meet people who will have an incredible influence on our lives; we all have those people, when we look back. That university adviser was one of those people; he had a vision, and in particular a vision for young people. Many of the people he taught are now in that category themselves, in that department or that section.

[Dan Aldridge]

I just want to pay tribute to a number of lecturers at the universities in Northern Ireland. I used to work for the British Computer Society and the Northern Ireland branch was phenomenal. If the hon. Gentleman has not yet made contact with that branch, to speak to it about its cyber-security work in Northern Ireland, it would be a fantastic group of people for him to connect with.

[Jim Shannon]

I thank the hon. Gentleman very much for that intervention; it is always good to get an intervention that reinforces the point of view that I am putting forward. Obviously, he has a personal knowledge of this issue and we thank him for that, too.

Due to the dedication and focus of universities in Northern Ireland, in particular Queen’s University in Belfast, cyber-security quickly became a focal point for careers. Subsequently, Northern Ireland, because of its unique combination of world-class academic research, a high concentration of global firms and a stable, highly skilled talent pipeline, has developed a well-established reputation in this field.

However, we all know that we can never rest on our achievements or laurels, but must continue to strive for more. That is why it is imperative that funding exists to keep pace with and even outstrip our competitors in providing skilled workers and innovation, supported by world-leading university structures. Northern Ireland leads the way in that regard and it is good that it does so.

The Centre for Secure Information Technologies at Queen’s University in Belfast is the primary driver of world-class academic research, and we need to retain and enhance funding for that research to continue. The centre is the UK’s innovation and knowledge centre for cyber-security and is the largest of its kind in Europe, recognised by the National Cyber Security Centre as an academic centre of excellence in both research and education. Those are big plaudits for Queen’s University and its work.

Belfast has consistently ranked as the No.1 global destination for US-based cyber-security foreign direct investment, with more than 100 cyber-security businesses and teams located within just three miles of the city centre, hosting European or global security operations for firms including Rapid7, Proofpoint, IBM Security, Microsoft, Nvidia and Nihon Cyber Defence, as well as international financial giants such as Aflac, Allstate and Citi, which has established its global cyber-security operations centre in Belfast. Again, that is an indication of the confidence across the world in Belfast, in Queen’s University and in Northern Ireland.

We have the highest percentage of qualified IT professionals in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with more than 77% holding degree-level qualifications. Added to that is the fact that operating costs in Northern Ireland are approximately 40% to 55% lower than in other parts of western Europe. With a 40% reduction in typical salary costs compared with London, it is easy to see the attraction. The money that has been invested in growing this space has had a real return for the local economy—plenty of high-paying jobs and opportunity.

The sector generates more than £258 million in direct gross value added for the local economy annually, and supports almost 2,800 roles across more than 120 companies, with the average advertised salary in the sector exceeding £53,000, which is significantly higher than the regional private sector median. The recent £3 million investment in the Centre for Secure Information Technologies is estimated to unlock some £10.7 million in broader economic impact across the United Kingdom.

I am not quite sure if the Minister, in his role, has had a chance to go to Northern Ireland? If he has not, I encourage him to go. I think he would be impressed. Everyone knows that I am in favour of support for the Union; I think we are all better together. We have no Scottish nationalists or Plaid Cymru here to say otherwise. In this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, we all help each other, and there are great advantages to being a part of this, the best Union in the world.

If the Minister gets the opportunity to go, he would be impressed. He may tell me he has been there. If he has, that is fantastic news. Investing in growth in this sector is a must. I look to the Minister to ensure that Northern Ireland sees her share of investment, because we have proven already that we can not only provide the goods, but do so much more.

Technology Sovereignty

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Tuesday 10th March 2026 Westminster Hall

[Dame Chi Onwurah]

I very much agree with my hon. Friend. He is absolutely right, and that support should take the form of access to investment, but also procurement and procurement decisions, which I will discuss in more detail.

The Digital Minister also told the Committee:

“There is no single internationally recognised definition of digital sovereignty”

and:

“DSIT is working to develop a comprehensive definition that can be used across the UK”.

We have not received an update, but yesterday, the Government launched the AI sovereignty unit with £500 million, so it is to be hoped that we know what we are spending our money on.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

Will the hon. Lady give way?

[Dame Chi Onwurah]

I cannot help but give way to the hon. Member.

[Jim Shannon]

The hon. Lady is terribly kind and it is always a pleasure to come to a debate that she has secured. Recent studies indicate that AI-powered tools have already been used in phishing, ransomware, and social engineering attacks, making breaches faster, more targeted and harder to detect. The National Cyber Security Centre has repeatedly warned that the sophistication and scale of cyber-threats are increasing, and that AI could amplify those risks exponentially. Does the hon. Lady therefore agree that we have a critical gap in investment, expertise and the co-ordinated strategy in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to defend against AI-enabled attacks? The Government must focus on being able to combat those in future—does she agree?

[Dame Chi Onwurah]

I certainly agree that we need to be able to defend ourselves against AI attacks.

Online Harm: Child Protection

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Tuesday 24th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Munira Wilson (Twickenham) (LD)]

I beg to move,

That this House makes provision as set out in this Order:

(1) On Monday 9 March 2026:

(a) Standing Order No. 14(1) (which provides that government business shall have precedence at every sitting save as provided in that Order) shall not apply;

(b) any proceedings governed by this Order may be proceeded with until any hour, though opposed, and shall not be interrupted;

(c) the Speaker may not propose the Question on the previous question, and may not put any question under Standing Order No. 36 (Closure of debate) or Standing Order No. 163 (Motion to sit in private);

(d) at 6.00pm, the Speaker shall interrupt any business prior to the business governed by this Order and call the leader of the second largest opposition party or another Member on their behalf to move the order of the day that the Online Services (Age Restrictions) Bill be now read a second time;

(e) in respect of that Bill, notices of Amendments, new Clauses and new Schedules to be moved in Committee may be accepted by the Clerks at the Table before the Bill has been read a second time;

(f) any proceedings interrupted or superseded by this Order may be resumed or (as the case may be) entered upon and proceeded with after the moment of interruption.

(2) The provisions of paragraphs (3) to (19) of this Order shall apply to and in connection with the proceedings on the Online Services (Age Restrictions) Bill in the present Session of Parliament.

Timetable for the Bill on Monday 9 March 2026

(3) (a) Proceedings on Second Reading and in Committee of the whole House, any proceedings on Consideration and proceedings up to and including Third Reading shall be taken at the sitting on Monday 9 March 2026 in accordance with this Order.

(b) Proceedings on Second Reading shall be brought to a conclusion (so far as not previously concluded) at 8.00pm.

(c) Proceedings in Committee of the whole House, any proceedings on Consideration and proceedings up to and including Third Reading shall be brought to a conclusion (so far as not previously concluded) at 10.00pm.

Timing of proceedings and Questions to be put on Monday 9 March 2026

(4) When the Bill has been read a second time:

(a) it shall, notwithstanding Standing Order No. 63 (Committal of bills not subject to a programme Order), stand committed to a Committee of the whole House without any Question being put;

(b) the Speaker shall leave the Chair whether or not notice of an Instruction has been given.

(5) (a) On the conclusion of proceedings in Committee of the whole House, the Chairman shall report the Bill to the House without putting any Question.

(b) If the Bill is reported with amendments, the House shall proceed to consider the Bill as amended without any Question being put.

(6) For the purpose of bringing any proceedings to a conclusion in accordance with paragraph (3), the Chairman or Speaker shall forthwith put the following Questions in the same order as they would fall to be put if this Order did not apply—

(a) any Question already proposed from the Chair;

(b) any Question necessary to bring to a decision a Question so proposed;

(c) the Question on any amendment, new clause or new schedule selected by The Chairman or Speaker for separate decision;

(d) the Question on any amendment moved or Motion made by a designated Member;

(e) any other Question necessary for the disposal of the business to be concluded; and shall not put any other Questions, other than the Question on any motion described in paragraph (15) of this Order.

(7) On a Motion made for a new Clause or a new Schedule, the Chairman or Speaker shall put only the Question that the Clause or Schedule be added to the Bill.

Consideration of Lords Amendments and Messages on a subsequent day

(8) If on any future sitting day any Message on the Bill (other than a Message that the House of Lords agrees with the Bill without amendment or agrees with any Message from this House) is expected from the House of Lords, this House shall not adjourn until that Message has been received and any proceedings under paragraph (9) have been concluded.

(9) On any day on which such a Message is received, if a designated Member indicates to the Speaker an intention to proceed to consider that Message—

(a) notwithstanding Standing Order No. 14(1) any Lords Amendments to the Bill or any further Message from the Lords on the Bill may be considered forthwith without any Question being put; and any proceedings interrupted for that purpose shall be suspended accordingly;

(b) proceedings on consideration of Lords Amendments or on any further Message from the Lords shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion one hour after their commencement; and any proceedings suspended under subparagraph (a) shall thereupon be resumed;

(c) the Speaker may not propose the Question on the previous question, and may not put any question under Standing Order No. 36 (Closure of debate) or Standing Order No. 163 (Motion to sit in private) in the course of those proceedings.

(10) Paragraphs (2) to (7) of Standing Order No. 83F (Programme Orders: conclusion of proceedings on consideration of Lords amendments) apply for the purposes of bringing any proceedings on consideration of Lords Amendments to a conclusion as if:

(a) any reference to a Minister of the Crown were a reference to a designated Member;

(b) after paragraph (4)(a) there is inserted—

“(aa) the question on any amendment or motion selected by the Speaker for separate decision;”.

(11) Paragraphs (2) to (5) of Standing Order No. 83G (Programme Orders: conclusion of proceedings on further messages from the Lords) apply for the purposes of bringing any proceedings on consideration of a Lords Message to a conclusion as if any reference to a Minister of the Crown were a reference to a designated Member.

Reasons Committee

(12) Paragraphs (2) to (6) of Standing Order No. 83H (Programme Orders: reasons committee) apply in relation to any committee to be appointed to draw up reasons after proceedings have been brought to a conclusion in accordance with this Order as if any reference to a Minister of the Crown were a reference to a designated Member.

Miscellaneous

(13) Standing Order No. 82 (Business Committee) shall not apply in relation to any proceedings on the Bill to which this Order applies.

(14) (a) No Motion shall be made, except by a designated Member, to alter the order in which any proceedings on the Bill are taken, to recommit the Bill or to vary or supplement the provisions of this Order.

(b) No notice shall be required of such a Motion.

(c) Such a Motion may be considered forthwith without any Question being put; and any proceedings interrupted for that purpose shall be suspended accordingly.

(d) The Question on such a Motion shall be put forthwith; and any proceedings suspended under sub-paragraph (c) shall thereupon be resumed.

(e) Standing Order No. 15(1) (Exempted business) shall apply to proceedings on such a Motion.

(15) (a) No dilatory Motion shall be made in relation to proceedings on the Bill to which this Order applies except by a designated Member.

(b) The Question on any such Motion shall be put forthwith.

(16) Proceedings to which this Order applies shall not be interrupted under any Standing Order relating to the sittings of the House.

(17) No private business may be considered at any sitting to which the provisions of this Order apply.

(18) (a) The start of any debate under Standing Order No. 24 (Emergency debates) to be held on a day on which proceedings to which this Order applies are to take place shall be postponed until the conclusion of any proceedings to which this Order applies.

(b) Standing Order 15(1) (Exempted business) shall apply in respect of any such debate.

(19) In this Order, “a designated Member” means—

(a) the leader of the second largest opposition party; and

(b) any other Member acting on behalf of the leader of the second largest opposition party.

This afternoon is an opportunity for the House to come together to take urgent and meaningful action and to legislate within weeks—not months or years, but weeks—to keep our children and young people safe online, whether that is protection from harmful social media, artificial intelligence chatbots or addictive gaming. It is clear that we are at a tipping point, with widespread public and cross-party support for decisive action.

Every parent across this country knows the threat that social media poses to our children—to their mental health, to their physical health, to their sleep and to their concentration. They have written in their thousands to every single MP in this House—I want to take this opportunity to thank the 1,500 or so parents and carers in my Twickenham constituency who have written to me—and they are begging for a change in the law, so that they can better protect their children. They are not abdicating parental responsibility, as some people would like to suggest; they are pleading with the Government for help in providing the tools and safeguards that they need when faced with the might and the business models of enormous tech companies profiteering from our children’s attention.

For me, this is personal. My husband and I fight a daily battle at home with our children, aged 11 and seven, on screen time and what platforms and games they can access. Peer pressure is overwhelming for children—especially those just starting out on their secondary school journey, as my daughter recently has—who are desperate for belonging and connection. Parents are torn between wanting to ensure that our children are not left out of online spaces, which all too often we ourselves struggle to understand, and wanting to protect our children.

I believe that it is time we sent this message, loud and clear, to Musk, Zuckerberg and the other tech giants: “If your platform spreads harmful content or relies on addictive and harmful algorithms, you should not be allowed anywhere near our children.” That is why the Liberal Democrats have today introduced a Bill that would provide a range of protections for children from online harms, including the restriction of access to harmful social media.

Before I describe what we would ideally want to include in the Bill, let me emphasise that if the House were to support the motion, we would seek to work on a cross-party basis to introduce workable and effective legislation quickly, given that there is support for action across the House. This is not about one party winning or owning the issue; it is about us—as politicians, policymakers and parents—coming together to protect our children, their safety and their wellbeing.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I thank and commend the hon. Lady for initiating the debate, and for her devotion to this subject. Does she agree that we should consider education and the role of school principals? In Northern Ireland the Education Minister, Paul Givan, has introduced a pilot scheme on phone-free schools, and I have held an event in my constituency to discuss that very issue. The aim is to prevent children from being harassed while at school, and from understanding things that they should not be understanding or doing. Does the hon. Lady agree that phone-free schools to help our children should be part of the policy and part of what the Liberal Democrats are trying to do?

[Munira Wilson]

It is always a pleasure to give way to the hon. Gentleman, who is the first to intervene in the debate, and I entirely agree with him. I will touch on the point about phones in schools later, and I believe that we will have a chance to vote on that specific measure shortly, when the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill returns to this House.

As I have said, we want to approach this legislation in a cross-party way, but let me now turn to what the Liberal Democrats would ideally like to see in it.

Rural Broadband: Installation

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Tuesday 27th January 2026 Westminster Hall

[Sir Ashley Fox (Bridgwater) (Con)]

I beg to move,

That this House has considered the impact of the time taken to install gigabit capable broadband on rural communities.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Murrison. Broadband is now an essential part of daily life. Families, businesses and communities all rely on a good connection. The fact that most of us managed without it for most of our lives is irrelevant; times change, and we change with them. I recall family friends talking, when I was a child, about electricity coming to their village in the 1940s. We would not now think it tolerable for any village not to have a reliable supply of electricity, because the provision of electricity is a basic service—a utility that underpins almost everything in daily life. In many ways, that is what broadband is becoming.

I represent a beautiful Somerset constituency that is part rural and part urban. I can see the different issues that persist in different areas, and the gap in service between those who live in the town and those who live in the countryside. Last year, I conducted a survey of the rural areas in my constituency and asked residents to rate the quality of their broadband service. I asked them to give scores out of 10 across customer service, internet speed, reliability and value for money.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I commend the hon. Gentleman for securing the debate. Under a previous Government, the DUP had funding from the confidence and supply arrangement, and we were able to boost the broadband in Northern Ireland exceptionally. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that, by their very nature, delays perpetuate the digital divide, causing rural areas to be perceived as lagging behind their urban counterparts in economic growth, productivity and access to essential services, and that in fact this could, and must, be easily remedied by investment and a good delivery strategy?

[Sir Ashley Fox]

The hon. Member anticipates much of my speech, and I thank him for that intervention.

Unsurprisingly, in my survey those in larger villages reported the best service, and those in the most remote rural areas reported the worst.

Digital ID

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Thursday 15th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

For the final question, I call Jim Shannon.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

Hopefully there will be easier questions for the Minister to answer in the time to come. This is issue is very important to my constituents; I get hundreds of emails about it. The response to the proposal of digital ID has been swift and intense, and the feelings on all sides of the community have not diminished in any way. The general public seek assurance that their autonomy, in so far as it does not harm anyone else, is a foundational principle in our democracy. How do the Government intend to rebuild the trust that has quite clearly been lost?

[Josh Simons]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. Trust is vital—digital tools work only when they are trusted. In the consultation that we will publish in the coming weeks, Members will see that trust is at the heart of how we build the system for working people.

Science and Discovery Centres

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Wednesday 14th January 2026 Westminster Hall

[Steve Witherden]

Yes, I do. I do not think that DCMS and DFE should be completely absent from the equation, but I agree that DSIT should lead.

What meaningful action does the Minister intend to take to address the funding and infrastructure challenges currently faced by science centres? Will he respond to the request from the Association for Science and Discovery Centres, supported by more than 3,100 leading scientists, academics, business leaders and educators in an open letter to the Prime Minister and the Department late last year, for £19.5 million of public funding, match funded by £19.5 million from the centres themselves, which is essential to address immediate infrastructure risks?

Does the Minister also agree that it is essential to formally recognise science centres as part of the UK’s scientific and cultural ecosystem, whether by expanding eligibility for existing funding streams or by creating a dedicated science engagement fund? Does he agree that it is unfair for SDCs to be excluded from public infrastructure funds that are available to comparable organisations, including museums and libraries?

I urge the Minister to meet the Association for Science and Discovery Centres and its members, and work with them and MPs representing science centres to find a solution to these issues. Will he collaborate with colleagues in DCMS, the DFE, English mayoral combined authorities and the devolved Governments in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to ensure that SDCs and their work are adequately recognised and supported? Solutions must work across all four nations.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I apologise for not being here at the very beginning of the debate; as I explained to you, Mrs Harris, I was running late because I had a meeting with a Minister beforehand.

The hon. Gentleman is right to underline these issues, which affect not just England, but Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland—all of us. At the W5 in east Belfast, science is to the fore. It has exhibits on science, technology, maths and innovation, but they are always educational, and schools by their thousands attend it. But it is not just that: we have the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, the Ulster Folk Museum, the Ulster Museum and Exploris in my constituency. I support the hon. Gentleman’s request for a meeting, but will he ask for those in Northern Ireland to be part of that process? Perhaps my right hon. Friend the Member for Belfast East (Gavin Robinson) and I could also be invited.

[Steve Witherden]

I am glad that the hon. Gentleman made that intervention. I am an MP from a devolved nation, too. There are few of us here, and it is fundamentally important that we recognise that this is a four-nation issue. It is complicated by the fact that education is devolved, which is the main reason that I think science centres should sit with DSIT so that all four home nations can be encompassed more easily.

Finally, I request a meeting with the Minister on additional support for Welsh science centres. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given our size, Wales has only a handful of science centres: the CAT in my constituency, Xplore! in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Wrexham (Andrew Ranger) and Techniquest in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff South and Penarth (Stephen Doughty). I am eager to ascertain how we as Welsh MPs can best support our science centres, not only to ensure their continued survival but to create a climate in which they grow, flourish and thrive. I would therefore greatly appreciate a meeting with the Minister to address that issue.

I thank the Association for Science and Discovery Centres, Eileen and all those who work tirelessly at the CAT, and every dedicated individual across the 28 SDCs nationwide. Their contributions inspire curiosity, advance STEM engagement and create truly invaluable climate solutions. SDCs are not optional extras, but vital national assets. The UK-wide network of 28 centres is a cornerstone of our broader science and research ecosystem. That is a key legacy of the last Labour Government. With proper recognition, urgent investment in infrastructure and long-term capital renewal funds, the CAT and the other outstanding centres across the UK can continue to ignite curiosity, expand green skills and unlock the full potential of UK science and technology for a healthy, secure and sustainable future. I am confident that today’s debate will demonstrate the strength of cross-party support for this cause.

--- Later in debate ---

[Dr Danny Chambers (Winchester) (LD)]

It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Mrs Harris. I congratulate the hon. Member for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr (Steve Witherden) on securing the debate. His absolutely fantastic speech got everyone really enthusiastic, riled up and excited about supporting science.

One reason I am here is that the Winchester Science Centre is not just the biggest indoor attraction in Hampshire, but the UK’s largest stand-alone planetarium, and it has 185,000 visitors a year. I am so pleased to have it in my constituency, because science has given me the most wonderful career. I look back on the amazing things I have done because I studied science at school and took science A-levels. I have worked in Africa studying how to improve cattle production by making them more resistant to a protozoan parasite spread by the tsetse fly called trypanosomiasis, trying to create more cattle genetically resistant to that disease. I have worked in Iraq, India, all over the UK and New Zealand, simply because I studied science at school. It is the most exciting, enabling subject to study.

Growing up on a farm, loving animals and loving science at school, I naturally went down the veterinary route, but my first love in science was astronomy. On the farm in Devon where I grew up there was little light pollution and the stars were incredible. I could name every constellation from the age of eight. The reason I am so moved to speak about this subject today is that the single most exciting trip we made when I was at primary school was to a planetarium. That fired up my love of science, and then watching “Star Trek” and nature documentaries while growing up on a farm shaped my world view and career trajectory.

When I was a teenager, I had a favourite magazine. [Laughter.] I should probably clarify that it was New Scientist. To be asked a few years ago to write a few articles from a veterinary perspective for New Scientist was an ambition fulfilled. When I look back on those visits to science centres and planetariums, I wonder how many people got into science because of stars and dinosaurs. It sounds like a cliché, but they bring science to life for everyone, especially children. They help them realise what an exciting subject science can be, opening their eyes not only to studying science for a career, but to better understanding our place in the world and the importance of conservation.

[Jim Shannon]

The hon. Gentleman is right to recall his youth and how his love of the countryside energised him to seek the job and life he wanted. Marine biology and local sea life can do something similar. In my earlier intervention on the hon. Member for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr (Steve Witherden), I mentioned the Exploris Aquarium in Portaferry in my constituency. Thousands of children and adults attend every year to learn about marine biology. Young people are stimulated by the project to rescue seals and invigorate them prior to return to Strangford lough, as part of the ecosystem. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that that is the sort of programme our children should be chasing every day?

[Dr Chambers]

I completely agree with the hon. Member. We are not here to support science centres just for themselves, just for the tourist industry or just for the economy. Some of the biggest challenges facing civilisation at the moment—global challenges such as climate change, antimicrobial resistance, risk of pandemics, biodiversity collapse, and even how to feed and provide energy sustainably for 8 billion people—are also science challenges. We need to inspire the next generation of children to recognise those as urgent problems that need to be solved. They are not hypothetical challenges; they are current challenges.

Science centres are vital to inspire children to create the next generation of scientists who will help solve all those problems. We are in an era of rampant misinformation, with geopolitical turbulence and global health challenges. Places such as the Winchester Science Centre inspire collaboration, learning and the sharing of information. In a world of falling vaccine uptake, climate change denial and precarious geopolitical frameworks, it is the scientists who will do the heavy lifting to keep us all safe, and yet they are probably the most overlooked.

Museums have the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to back and champion them; science centres do not have a Government Department specifically to do that. I urge the Minister to consider getting a Department such as DSIT to really champion them.

Social Media: Non-consensual Sexual Deepfakes

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Monday 12th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Liz Kendall]

My hon. Friend has raised a really important issue, which I am happy to discuss with her further. What she says is exactly what is happening in this country.

I know that many Members have not had a chance to ask a question, but I will find a way to enable them to ask that question, and I will secure a response through the Department—including my parliamentary private secretaries—because I know how passionately all Members care about this issue, and I want to continue the debate.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. The Secretary of State responded to another Member on the subject of Northern Ireland. Can she confirm that the Crime and Policing Bill will be modified to include Northern Ireland?

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

The hon. Member will know that that is not a point of order. I made it very clear that the statement would run for an hour. The Secretary of State seems to be itching to respond, but perhaps she could do so in writing. It is very unfair on Members who have not had the chance to get in that we should seek to extend the statement via a point of order.

AI Safety

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Wednesday 10th December 2025 Westminster Hall

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

As always, Ms Butler, it is a real pleasure to serve under your chairmanship. I thank the hon. Member for Dewsbury and Batley (Iqbal Mohamed) for securing this debate and for his opening speech, which was absolutely superb.

Although there is no doubt that AI is becoming the future—and we are becoming aware of more uses online—there are still dangers associated with it, and we must be aware of them. I want to raise those issues as a way of keeping my constituents in the know.

AI is an advance in technology that, to be truthful, I know very little about. To be honest, technology is over my head in many ways, but my constituents are very aware of it. It is not something that I am personally keen to use, nor do I know much about it, but it is something that my grandchildren need to be familiar as they grow up—they are the ones who are coming through. They need to know the dangers that I can see.

I read an article some time ago that said in 15 to 20 years, over 80% of jobs could be done through AI—well, I wonder when MPs will be AI-ed, so to speak. What will that mean? Will all the manual jobs be done by robots? It is future technology—it is “Star Wars” stuff—but is that the future? It is amazing to see what AI can do, but there are also significant risks that come with it. It is about finding the balance. I always refer to the balance, because in almost everything we do in life a balance has to be sought, found and delivered.

Reports to the Police Service of Northern Ireland back home have been made in cases where scammers have imitated family members using voice cloning, asking for emergency money. There has also been a swarm of realistic texts, phone scripts and AI-generated emails purporting to be the like of the Ulster Bank or His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. In my case, they got the bank wrong—I had not heard of the Danske Bank—but none the less, that was an illustration of what they are doing: pressurising victims into transferring money for security reasons. Even though it is all made up, it sounds realistic and authentic, which is a worry.

I have received some of these scam texts before, and I can honestly say that they appear legitimate. With some of them, one would stop and think, “I’m not sure, but I think that’s going to be okay. It seems okay.” I am grateful to the people who come into my office to ask because they are rightly confused. We are there to help them. Every day we have people—mostly the elderly and vulnerable people—who contact my office needing reassurance that what they have been asked to do is illegal, and therefore they should not do it.

I have concerns about the impact that AI has on schools, specifically for children’s learning. I do not want children to use AI as a way of thinking and to be over-reliant on it for schoolwork and homework. The importance of school is to teach children to be problem solvers and to think for themselves. It is important that they are given the opportunity to do just that. AI is a tool that can support learning, but it must never overtake what our teachers are qualified to tell us.

Digital ID

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Monday 13th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Liz Kendall]

I think there is a lot of misinformation out there about this proposal. It is not about surveillance; it is not about a police state—the police will not be able to stop people and require them to show their digital ID. In many other countries where such a scheme has been used, it has been about making the Government and the state more effective and efficient and about giving people greater control over their data so that they can actually see it. I do not know whether the hon. Gentleman uses search engines or whether he has any form of online banking on his phone, but I gently say to him that the world has moved on. I understand that lots of people have concerns, but I believe that there is a strong case for making this happen, just as it has happened in many other countries.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I respect the Secretary of State greatly, but honestly on this one I am afraid I just cannot support her whatsoever. I say that because the opposition to this ID in the United Kingdom is great, but in Northern Ireland, the Labour party, the Government and the Secretary of State in particular have managed to unite all the political parties against it. My goodness—she should do more stuff on Northern Ireland affairs, because if she can get everybody together, we could do things that were never done before. I say this with great respect: this is not about illegal immigration; this is about the nanny state. It is the first step on an icy, slippery slope—an imposed restriction by Government—and my constituents are saying no. Would the Secretary of State reconsider what she is putting forward, because really, it is going nowhere in Northern Ireland?

[Liz Kendall]

The hon. Gentleman and I agree on a football club, but it would appear that we do not agree on digital ID. As the hon. Gentleman knows, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts visited Northern Ireland last week. We will work through all the different institutions. I want to be very clear to anybody who has concerns about this that it is not a Brit card—that is not what we are calling it. We want to ensure that security and privacy are built in from the start. The Good Friday agreement is absolutely sacrosanct. I think there are real advantages here: when people see the system that we want and the benefits to their lives, they may reconsider their views.

Points of Order

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Monday 13th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Liz Kendall)]

Further to that point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I really apologise if we did not inform the hon. Gentleman that we were coming. That was an error and we will make sure that we put it right.

[Jim Shannon]

rose—

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

Is this an actual point of order, Mr Shannon?

[Jim Shannon]

indicated assent.

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

Time is tight, so be quick.

[Jim Shannon]

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. As you will know, the women’s rugby team won the world cup, beating Canada. The Ryder cup team beat the USA, despite all the verbal abuse and beer being thrown at Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry. Is it possible that Mr Speaker or the Prime Minister have organised a reception for both teams, ever mindful that the Ryder cup team took unreal abuse from the USA people? New York people—big in the mouth, big in the stomach.

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

Mr Shannon, this puts me in a very difficult position, because that is not actually a point of order, but that will make me deeply unpopular, and I cannot talk on behalf of Mr Speaker or the Prime Minister and say what they wish to do.