Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
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 impact of AI data centres on the environment.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)
DSIT engages regularly with DEFRA, the Environment Agency and DESNZ, to discuss the impact of AI data centres on the environment. Through the AI Energy Council, the Government is assessing and promoting energy efficiency and clean power solutions.
DSIT will also publish a National Policy Statement, which will establish clear expectations on the design and environmental considerations for data centres seeking development consent through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects planning process.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
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 impact of the development of AI data centres on local energy and water resources.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)
The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology engages regularly with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to ensure the UK energy system supports the UK’s growing digital and AI‑driven demand. DSIT also engages closely with DEFRA and the Environment Agency, recognising the need to ensure AI infrastructure does not compromise the resilience of public water supplies.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 27 March 2025 to Question 40390 on Data, Statistics and Research on Sex and Gender Independent Review, what steps her Department is taking to implement the recommendations of the Sullivan Review.
Answered by Feryal Clark
The government has now published the independent review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender commissioned by the previous government.
We are considering the findings in light of ongoing policy work in this area.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
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 implications for his Department’s policies of the recommendations of the Sullivan Review of Data, Statistics and Research on Sex and Gender, published on 19 March 2025.
Answered by Feryal Clark
Sex and gender in data, statistics and research is an important area of discussion, and this review contributes to this ongoing dialogue. Given the wide breadth of recommendations, the government has ensured that the review has been shared with all the relevant departments and policy teams, who will consider the findings in light of their ongoing policy work.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when he plans to publish the Bertin Review.
Answered by Feryal Clark
The Independent Pornography Review is an important area of interest for this government. The Review has now concluded, the government is assessing its findings and the report will be published in due course.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will publish the Sullivan Review.
Answered by Feryal Clark
In line with the Concordat to Support Research Integrity, the government recognises the importance of transparency with publicly-funded research. As such, we expect the report to be published shortly.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
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 (a) reliability, (b) accuracy and (c) consistency of personal identity data on sex held by (i) HM Passport Office, (ii) the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and (iii) the NHS in the context of the digital verification services framework.
Answered by Feryal Clark
The digital verification services (DVS) framework seeks to create rules for how those services operate. The DVS framework doesn’t create new ways to determine a person’s sex or gender. Nor does it intervene with how government departments record and store this and other identity data. Under data protection law, personal data which is processed must be accurate.
Government believes processing accurate data is essential to deliver services meeting citizens’ needs. Public sector data about sex and gender is collected based on user and departmental needs and in compliance with any applicable legislation.
The Government Statistical Service published a work plan for updated, harmonised standards and guidance on sex and gender in December 2024. This will align with the Office for Statistics Regulation guidance on collecting and reporting data about sex and gender identity, which was published in February 2024.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what his Department's timetable is for publishing the independent Pornography Review led by Baroness Bertin.
Answered by Feryal Clark
The Independent Pornography Review assesses the effectiveness of current pornography legislation, regulation, and enforcement. It is an important area of interest for this government.
The Review has now just concluded. The government is assessing its findings and the final report will be published in due course.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on taking steps to help prevent people being sexually exploited on websites advertising prostitution in Gower.
Answered by Feryal Clark
Ministers have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a wide range of issues, including protecting people from illegal activity online.
The Online Safety Act gives online platforms new duties to tackle illegal content and activity on their services. Sexual exploitation offences are ‘priority offences’ within the Act; service providers need to take proactive steps to search for, remove and limit people’s exposure to this harmful kind of illegal content. Firms will need to start risk assessing for illegal content by the end of the year and the illegal content duties will be fully in effect by Spring 2025.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on young people in Gower constituency of differences in the level of regulation of pornographic content accessed (a) online and (b) offline.
Answered by Feryal Clark
The Online Safety Act imposes duties on user-to-user services and publishers of pornography to prevent children encountering pornographic content online.
Ofcom can enforce duties on publishers of pornography from early 2025. The age assurance duties for user-to-user services will come into effect by summer 2025.
Additionally, the Independent Pornography Review will assess the effectiveness of pornography legislation, regulation and enforcement, including online and offline regulation. We expect that the independent review will finalise towards the end of this year.