Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to including advice about supplier diversity and small and medium-sized enterprise participation in procurement in the Artificial Intelligence Playbook.

This government is committed to supporting SMEs and British business as much as possible including through procurement. The current edition of the AI Playbook for government contains broad advice for decision makers looking to procure effective, ethical and safe systems. Updates to Government guidance will have lines on how to adhere to the Procurement Act (2023) which came into force this year. The Act has specific provisions to encourage government procurement from small and medium sized by enhancing transparency and competition.