Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
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 impact of the use of AI in his Department on security.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The UK government is dedicated to leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance public services securely. The AI Playbook for the UK Government (p. 74) includes an assessment of the risks coming from the use of AI. The Playbook includes worked scenarios for AI use which detail potential risk impacts. All AI services must adhere to Secure by Design principles and conduct risk assessments, including Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs).
The Government Digital Service consults the AI Security Institute within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology for specialist guidance when evaluating the security of AI-based tools.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions he has had with Ofcom on its enforcement powers relating to the non-consensual posting of intimate images.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The DSIT Secretary of State and officials regularly meet with Ofcom to discuss the Online Safety Act and enforcement.
The Online Safety Act gives platforms new duties to proactively tackle the most harmful content on their services. This includes intimate image abuse, which is a priority harm under the regulations. Ofcom has robust enforcement powers to sanction companies who do not comply with these new duties. It can require companies to take measures to return to compliance, impose substantial fines, or apply to the courts for business disruption measures.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the median age is of computers issued to officials in their Department.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The median age of laptops and desktop computers in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is 1.5 years.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate he has made of the number of data centres built in England in each of the last five years.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government has not historically collected figures on the growth of data centre capacity but has monitored the market periodically and through industry engagement. Other sources for this historical data are available, for example through Tech UK or CBRE's market outlooks.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment he has made of the availability of full-fibre broadband in Slough constituency.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The government is committed to delivering 2030 nationwide gigabit connectivity coverage, with 86% of premises now able to access a gigabit-capable connection thanks to a pro-competition regulatory environment. There is now a thriving market of over 100 providers, investing over £40bn rolling out gigabit broadband all over the UK.
Project Gigabit primarily focuses on the rural areas which are the hardest to reach commercially. We anticipate that the majority of urban areas will receive gigabit-capable broadband through commercial investment. While there is no planned build in Slough under Project Gigabit, the government continues to review the best ways to address gaps in coverage in urban areas.
CityFibre and Gigaclear are delivering Project Gigabit-funded contracts across the South East of England. Alongside them, we continue to engage closely with local businesses and residents regarding rollout.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions he has had with (a) local businesses and (b) residents on the coverage of full-fibre broadband in (i) Slough constituency and (ii) South East England.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The government is committed to delivering 2030 nationwide gigabit connectivity coverage, with 86% of premises now able to access a gigabit-capable connection thanks to a pro-competition regulatory environment. There is now a thriving market of over 100 providers, investing over £40bn rolling out gigabit broadband all over the UK.
Project Gigabit primarily focuses on the rural areas which are the hardest to reach commercially. We anticipate that the majority of urban areas will receive gigabit-capable broadband through commercial investment. While there is no planned build in Slough under Project Gigabit, the government continues to review the best ways to address gaps in coverage in urban areas.
CityFibre and Gigaclear are delivering Project Gigabit-funded contracts across the South East of England. Alongside them, we continue to engage closely with local businesses and residents regarding rollout.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he has taken to increase coverage of full-fibre broadband availability in Slough constituency.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The government is committed to delivering 2030 nationwide gigabit connectivity coverage, with 86% of premises now able to access a gigabit-capable connection thanks to a pro-competition regulatory environment. There is now a thriving market of over 100 providers, investing over £40bn rolling out gigabit broadband all over the UK.
Project Gigabit primarily focuses on the rural areas which are the hardest to reach commercially. We anticipate that the majority of urban areas will receive gigabit-capable broadband through commercial investment. While there is no planned build in Slough under Project Gigabit, the government continues to review the best ways to address gaps in coverage in urban areas.
CityFibre and Gigaclear are delivering Project Gigabit-funded contracts across the South East of England. Alongside them, we continue to engage closely with local businesses and residents regarding rollout.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
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 increase the numbers of leading international scientists who choose to undertake their research in the UK.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The UK boasts a world-leading science base, supported by top universities and research institutions. We are open for business in science and technology and aim to be the destination of choice for globally mobile top talent.
DSIT is committed to working with the R&D sector, including academia and industry, to attract and retain top talent in the UK. This includes funding through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the National Academies, which offer prestigious fellowships and professorships.
The UK's association with the Horizon Europe programme has also opened more opportunities for British scientists and researchers, providing access to extensive funding streams and a collaborative environment that attracts top-tier talent globally.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs on the implications of the use of Artificial Intelligence on the water supply.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
My department has discussed the implications of Artificial Intelligence with DEFRA, and representatives from UK water companies, on multiple occasions. We also engage the AI data centre industry to understand how water is used and explore potential alternatives or ways to minimise any potential impact on supplies and output of wastewater. Data centres, and the compute they provide, will also play a major role in powering the high-tech solutions to environmental challenges.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether driving licences available through the gov.uk app will have integration with (a) Apple Wallet, (b) Google Wallet, (c) Samsung Wallet and (d) other common on-device wallets.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We recognise there may be value in government documents, such as the digital driving licence, being available through private sector wallets that have been certified as part of the government's Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework. There are no current plans but we are open to exploring this in the future. Currently, Apple, Google and Samsung Wallets are not certified, but may choose to become so in the future.