Oral Answers to Questions

Peter Kyle Excerpts

Wednesday 20th November 2024 Commons Chamber

[Tony Vaughan (Folkestone and Hythe) (Lab)]

6. If he will take steps to support the creation of a global network of scientific research on frontier artificial intelligence safety.

[The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Peter Kyle)]

The UK is a founding member of the AI Safety Institute international network. The network convenes for the first time today in San Francisco.

[Tony Vaughan]

The UK is a global leader in AI development, which brings many opportunities, but we know that the risks associated with AI can be managed only by global co-operation. What steps is the Department taking to ensure that the UK works with other main leaders in AI development, including the US and China, to ensure that the most advanced frontier AI models are safe for global consumers?

[Peter Kyle]

My hon. Friend is completely right to say that safety has to be there from the outset. We want our country to safely explore all the opportunities that AI offers, but it can do so only if people are reassured that safety is there from the outset. The UK safety institute is at the forefront of this. It is the first safety institute, and we are at the forefront of delivering international as well as domestic safety. We are currently working on an international review of the science of AI safety, which draws on the expertise of 30 countries.

[Mr Speaker]

I call Steve Darling.

--- Later in debate ---

[Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West) (Lab)]

My hon. Friend the Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Tony Vaughan) rightly raises the need for research into frontier AI safety, and I welcome the Government’s commitment to protecting the public from future AI risks. But AI affects all of our lives already. Today, my Committee launches an inquiry into algorithms, AI and their role in spreading online harm, as we saw in the terrible riots over the summer. As we build our evidence, how is the Minister building the evidence base on AI online harms and their social impact right now?

[Peter Kyle]

I am extremely grateful to the Chair of the Select Committee for choosing this as her first inquiry. It is an incredibly important area. This Government are committed to the algorithmic transparency recording standard. The previous Government reneged on their commitment to having individual Departments releasing their standard statement each year. This Government are committing to doing so again and will remain committed to reinforcing the fact that algorithms are there to serve people and not the other way round.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

There are many firms in Northern Ireland that have the capability and the experience to offer some advice on getting scientific research on AI safety. I know that the Minister is very interested in Northern Ireland, so has he had an opportunity to speak to companies in Northern Ireland so that we can play our part in how we take this matter forward?

[Peter Kyle]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for acknowledging my interest in Northern Ireland, which I have already visited since being appointed in order to meet some of the pioneering tech companies there. I will stay committed to ensuring that the Government recognise the talent across Northern Ireland, harnessing it for not just the domestic good but the global good.

[Alex Baker (Aldershot) (Lab)]

7. What comparative assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the roll-out of 5G in (a) the UK and (b) other countries.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Peter Kyle)]

To protect people online, today I became the first Secretary of State to exercise the power to set out my strategic online safety proposals for Ofcom to consider. From increasing transparency to baking safety into social media platforms from the outset, those priorities will support Government in monitoring progress on acting where our laws are coming up short. I have also launched a new research project to explore the impact of social media on young people’s wellbeing and mental health.

[Dr Cooper]

Each year millions of patients in England interact with two or more different hospital trusts. Most of the trusts that commonly see the same patients do not use the same record systems. What steps is the Minister taking with Cabinet colleagues to utilise the Centre for Improving Data Collaboration and other available technology to improve data sharing across NHS hospital trusts?

[Peter Kyle]

What a pleasure it is to speak from the Dispatch Box to another Labour MP from Sussex.

That issue is a Department of Health and Social Care responsibility but, on its behalf, the Data (Use and Access) Bill will include a requirement that IT providers in the NHS have to meet information standards. That will deliver the interoperability needed so that data can be shared across the NHS, often for the very first time.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Alan Mak (Havant) (Con)]

On the Opposition Benches we are proud that it was the last Conservative Government who created the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. I am glad that Labour is following our agenda, and I look forward to my exchanges with the Secretary of State.

Under the last Conservative Government, Britain was home to more billion dollar tech start-ups than France and Germany combined, but last month an industry survey found that nearly 90% of tech founders would consider leaving Britain if Labour raised taxes on tech businesses. Yesterday, Labour U-turned on policy in Scotland, so today will the Secretary of State commit to reversing Labour’s jobs tax, which damages tech businesses across the entire country?

[Peter Kyle]

I welcome the hon. Gentleman to his post. We worked together on the all-party parliamentary group on the fourth industrial revolution, which he chaired, and I look forward to having a constructive relationship going forward.

The hon. Gentleman mentioned the last Government. Given the way the Conservatives are going, that will have been their last Government. To be honest, the circumstances that businesses, large and small, operating in the tech landscape have asked for are a smooth regulatory process—we have already delivered regulatory reform; reform to planning—we have delivered reform to the planning system; a stable financial settlement—we have delivered that with a Budget for—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Please, this is topicals. We will see a very good example from the shadow Secretary of State.

[Alan Mak]

I thank the Secretary of State for his kind words, but he has punished labour: figures from his own Department show that workers will be losing out by nearly £800 each per year as a result of Labour’s Budget. Will he stand up to the Chancellor and oppose any further tax rises on Britain’s hard-working tech sector?

[Peter Kyle]

The Budget gave a pay rise to working people in this country and set the conditions for a stable economy, fixing the black hole left in our economy by the mismanagement of the last Government.

[James Asser (West Ham and Beckton) (Lab)]

T4.   Last week I was at London City airport’s STEM event, which brought together 500 students from secondary schools across east London. Does the Secretary of State agree that if we are to see thriving STEM industries, we need more engagement events like that?

[Peter Kyle]

Outside the classroom, the CyberFirst programme has engaged 250,000 young people across the UK. Those are the first steps; this Government will be going further.

[Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)]

T2. Recently, I hosted a briefing event for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, where strong evidence was presented that almost all drug research and research into other products could be done without abusing animals. Will the Secretary of State take the opportunity to ensure that we no longer experiment on animals and that we use other methods to get products into service?

[Peter Kyle]

I am grateful for the hon. Gentleman’s question, because the first job I ever had was at the Body Shop working for Anita Roddick, and I joined her campaign against animal testing for cosmetics. She would be proud to see me at the Dispatch Box engaging in this conversation. Labour made a manifesto commitment to phase out animal testing in the long term. That is something we are committed to and something we are taking steps towards.

[Ian Lavery (Blyth and Ashington) (Lab)]

T5. The peddling of fake news and disinformation on social media platforms is fuelling extremism. It also impacts heavily on our democratic processes in the UK. What safeguards are the Government putting in place to combat this really serious issue?

[Peter Kyle]

I am extremely grateful to my hon. Friend for raising one of the most serious issues of our time. The Online Safety Act 2023 requires providers, as part of their risk assessment, to consider specifically how algorithms will impact a user’s exposure to illegal content and children’s exposure to harmful content. I have introduced new measures to ensure that children are kept safe, and today I issued a statement of strategic priority to Ofcom to insist that it continues to do so in future.

[David Davis (Goole and Pocklington) (Con)]

T3.   Last year, nearly 50 British universities were identified as having research ties with what are deemed very high-risk Chinese institutions. Subsequently, the intelligence services briefed 24 universities on resisting the infiltration attempts of foreign agencies, but the Intelligence and Security Committee report states that it is “highly likely” that joint UK-China research projects are used for military purposes. What is the Department doing to protect our research and our security?

[Peter Kyle]

The Government are working closely with individual universities, the university sector and our intelligence community to ensure that our research is not only world class but safe and secure.

The Prime Minister was asked—