Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Reform UK - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to integrate AI into civil service functions; and if he will make an estimate of the potential impact of AI on costs to the public purse in the next five financial years.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Central Digital & Data Office has worked with HM Treasury to develop assessment criteria for the spending review. The criteria focus on generating value for the taxpayer and ensuring investment in AI technology provides a significant return on investment.
There is ongoing work to analyse the potential cost and value of AI for civil service functions, the outcomes of which are yet to be determined.
Public sector adoption is a key part of the AI Opportunities Action Plan, which will detail how we can reimagine our public services by ensuring the public sector takes advantage of the best emerging use-cases and tools.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Reform UK - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help improve internet connections in Great Yarmouth constituency.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
According to the independent website ThinkBroadband.com, over 98% of premises in the Great Yarmouth constituency have access to superfast broadband speeds (>=30 Mbps) and 75% can access a gigabit-capable (>1000 Mbps) connection.
To extend gigabit-capable coverage further, CityFibre is delivering a £114.2 million contract under Project Gigabit, to bring gigabit-capable broadband to around 62,000 premises across Norfolk that would otherwise miss out, including in Great Yarmouth.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Reform UK - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 10 September 2024 to Question 3443 on National Security Online Information Team, what (a) topics and (b) events are being monitored by the National Security Online Information Team.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
NSOIT leads the operational response to information risks to UK audiences. Its ministerially agreed remit is to focus on public safety and national security risks. This includes mis- and disinformation arising from events such as the public unrest which occurred over the summer as well as ongoing risks to the UK’s core values and democratic processes from foreign states’ interference.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Reform UK - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many positions in his Department included (a) diversity, (b) inclusion, (c) equity and (d) equality in their job title in each of the last five years; and what the total cost of the salaries of each such job was in each of those years.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) does not routinely collate information on specific words and collating this information would come at a disproportionate cost.
Information on spending and staffing can be found in the Department's annual report and accounts.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Reform UK - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the total (a) cost of running, (b) number of staff employed and (c) number of people monitored by the National Security Online Information Team was in each year since 2020; and what the reasons for monitoring those people were in each year since 2020.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT) works to identify information threats by analysing narratives and trends from publicly available information online, around topics or events where ministers agree there is a high risk to UK audiences. This does not include the monitoring of individuals.
It is not appropriate for me to share details of the NSOIT’s resourcing as this information could give hostile actors insights into UK capabilities.