Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to attract and retain workers with skills in artificial intelligence into the NHS workforce.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We provide targeted upskilling and training for clinical staff through the Fellows in Clinical AI programme, and are developing specialised roles within our Digital, Data, and Technology workforce. Furthermore, the AI and Digital Healthcare Technologies Capability framework outlines the necessary capabilities for artificial intelligence (AI) across the National Health Service workforce.
We have also set out core foundations to drive AI-related education training in two published reports that focus on understanding and developing the healthcare workforce’s confidence in AI. These include developing fundamentals for the full workforce and advanced training, where it is required. The reports on understanding and developing confidence in AI are available, respectively, at the following links:
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps are being taken by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to draft new legislation to regulate the growth of artificial intelligence applications.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In the AI Regulation White Paper consultation response, the Government noted that all countries will eventually need to legislate. The Government also set out initial thinking on the case for highly targeted binding measures for the most powerful general purpose AI models.
However, the Government emphasised that it would not rush to regulate until there is a mature understanding of risk, else regulation could prove ineffective and stifle innovation. The Government has also established the AI Safety Institute to understand and evaluate the safety of AI models within Government.
Asked by: Adam Afriyie (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of AI on the functioning of the welfare system.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP is continually exploring the use of all types of Artificial Intelligence and its potential to support the provision of more digital services with a human touch in a safe, ethical, and considered way. Artificial Intelligence will never replace the role of our colleagues in supporting customers throughout their journey.
We are using Artificial Intelligence to undertake administrative or repetitive tasks, freeing up our colleagues to spend more time with claimants.
As part of our approach, and in-line with the Prime Minister’s Foundation Model Taskforce, DWP has created a Generative Artificial Intelligence Lighthouse Programme which will safely guide our innovation in emerging Artificial Intelligence technology. The role of this programme is to ‘test and learn’ in a safe and governed environment where all types of AI can be used to assist us in the delivery of our customer outcomes and department efficiencies. Following this test and learn approach will help us to build more certainty on the potential benefits that can be realised.
Where Artificial Intelligence is used to assist its activities in prevention and detection of fraud within UC applications, DWP always ensures appropriate safeguards are in place for the proportionate, ethical, and legal use of data with internal monitoring protocols adhered to. Through the work of departmental governance, we can always explain how the AI reaches conclusions using data.
DWP does not use AI to replace human judgement in determining or denying a payment to a claimant. Where appropriate, Equality and Data Protection Impact Assessments have been carried out.
DWP's Personal Information Charter explains how and why we use personal information and citizen’s rights and responsibilities.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of using artificial intelligence to undertake (a) assessments of medication for (i) compatibility and (ii) necessity and (b) other pharmaceutical checks.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The future of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and its potential benefits are exciting. We have already made great strides in this area and a number of projects are already underway, all with the aim of accelerating the safe, ethical, and effective use of AI in health and care. For example, we have invested £123 million to test and evaluate AI technologies in crucial areas that cause the most harm to health and the economy, such as strokes and lung cancer.
The Department has not yet made an assessment of the potential merits of using AI to undertake evaluations of the compatibility, necessity, and other pharmaceutical checks, for medication. However, we will continue to explore where AI could be deployed across health and care systems to transform patient experience and improve health outcomes.
Asked by: Baroness Merron (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence, in its work to improve lives and the delivery of public services, will consider the needs of people with facial palsy, as they may lack the full range of facial expressions.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The incubator for Artificial Intelligence focuses primarily on early stage piloting of AI based productivity improvements. We do not currently have any work in the pipeline that involves facial recognition, but we recognise the need for government services to be fully inclusive.
All Government Departments are required by our Service Standard to provide support via alternative channels for all their online services that are available to citizens. Our Roadmap for Digital and Data focuses on enabling the confident and responsible use of AI to improve efficiency and services including accessibility requirements.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Wyre Forest (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are their priorities for the (1) development, and (2) application, of artificial intelligence; and how do those priorities align with national strategies for technology and the economy.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The commitments made in the National AI Strategy and in the Science and Technology Framework remain central to DSIT’s approach to AI.
We’re committed to delivering a pro-innovation and pro-safety approach to AI. As per the AI Regulation White Paper and the consultation response, we’ve set out how the Government is strengthening its global AI leadership and supporting regulators to deliver the framework.
We’re also committed to increasing the UK’s capabilities in AI. We’re doing this by investing in skills and talent initiatives, delivering further investment in compute for AI, and prioritising AI adoption by establishing the AI Opportunity Forum.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to update copyright and intellectual property regulations to better protect the rights of professional creatives and ensure fair compensation, given the challenges posed by artificial intelligence technologies.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
His Majesty’s Government is engaging with people across the relevant sectors to develop an approach on artificial intelligence and copyright which allows this technology and the creative industries to grow in partnership. We want to work closely with right holders and AI developers to deliver this, and engage closely with our international counterparts.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Intellectual Property Office are working collaboratively to build on the progress made through the IPO’s working group process, which has now concluded. As set out in the AI White Paper Consultation Response of 6 February, HM Government will continue to engage with the creative industries, the media sector, and AI businesses to understand their views and develop an approach that supports these sectors to thrive.
Written Evidence Jan. 24 2024
Inquiry: Developing AI capacity and expertise in UK DefenceFound: Developing AI capacity and expertise in UK Defence University of Surrey, Surrey Institute for People-Centred Artificial
Written Evidence Dec. 06 2023
Inquiry: Governance of artificial intelligence (AI)Found: GAI0129 - Governance of artificial intelligence (AI) Electoral Commission Written Evidence
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their plans to publish a series of tests that need to be met to pass new laws on artificial intelligence, what steps they are taking to decide the criteria for the tests; and how they plan to conduct those tests.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As set out through the AI Regulation White Paper, we are establishing a flexible, principles-based approach to governing AI. We are willing to legislate if required, however we need to understand the issues first and take a proportionate, evidence-based approach. That’s why we established the AI Safety Institute, which will offer vital insights into the advanced capabilities of frontier AI and foundation models by conducting safety testing and carrying out AI safety research.
We will provide further details on our approach very shortly through the White Paper response.