Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government which public body has responsibility for the cybersecurity of the telecommunication cables outside the proposed Chinese Embassy at the Royal Mint (1) before, and (2) after, the development of the Embassy.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government is committed to ensuring the security and resilience of the UK’s telecommunications infrastructure.

The Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021 introduced a robust security framework, requiring public telecoms providers to identify, reduce and prepare for the risks of security compromise. Public telecoms providers are responsible for the cyber-security of their own networks, in line with their obligations under this framework. Ofcom, as the telecoms regulator, is responsible for monitoring and enforcing their compliance with those obligations.

DSIT is responsible for developing policies, including legislation, to help ensure the security of the UK’s public telecoms networks and services. DSIT works with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), as the UK’s lead technical authority for cyber security. The NCSC provides advice to government and industry on cyber-security threats and vulnerabilities.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what funding and infrastructure they have provided to ensure that the UK is a global leader in synthetic biology.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Since 2024, UK Research and Innovation are investing £100 million in six Engineering Biology Mission Hubs, and 22 Engineering Biology Mission Awards. These hubs and awards are driving engineering biology towards tangible, mission-orientated impacts.

In December 2025 Government announced it will invest £644 million in engineering biology, including £184 million to build and upgrade scale‑up infrastructure and £196 million in research and development. This investment will be underpinned by skills development through Doctoral Focal Awards in Engineering Biology delivered through UKRI.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the contribution of the mathematical sciences will be reflected in UK Research and Innovation’s revised corporate plan.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department recognises the mathematical sciences is a key element for the advancement of all areas of science and technology. In 2025-2026, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) committed £25 million to core mathematical sciences, alongside wider support through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), including, Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) in mathematical sciences and related areas.

UKRI’s current corporate plan for 2025-2027, published on 25th November 2025, includes the launch of new doctoral training awards to target priority areas, including £1 million for mathematical sciences through EPSRC.

The Government plan to publish a single UKRI Delivery Plan, which will provide an update on UKRI’s plans for the 2026-27 financial year.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect the revised corporate plan for UK Research and Innovation to be published.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department recognises the mathematical sciences is a key element for the advancement of all areas of science and technology. In 2025-2026, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) committed £25 million to core mathematical sciences, alongside wider support through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), including, Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) in mathematical sciences and related areas.

UKRI’s current corporate plan for 2025-2027, published on 25th November 2025, includes the launch of new doctoral training awards to target priority areas, including £1 million for mathematical sciences through EPSRC.

The Government plan to publish a single UKRI Delivery Plan, which will provide an update on UKRI’s plans for the 2026-27 financial year.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of current levels of UK Research and Innovation funding for mathematical sciences research.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department recognises the mathematical sciences is a key element for the advancement of all areas of science and technology. In 2025-2026, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) committed £25 million to core mathematical sciences, alongside wider support through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), including, Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) in mathematical sciences and related areas.

UKRI’s current corporate plan for 2025-2027, published on 25th November 2025, includes the launch of new doctoral training awards to target priority areas, including £1 million for mathematical sciences through EPSRC.

The Government plan to publish a single UKRI Delivery Plan, which will provide an update on UKRI’s plans for the 2026-27 financial year.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of Gov.uk Chat in providing accurate information about public services; and what safeguards they plan to put in place to ensure that AI-driven responses to queries about public services are reliable and clear.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

GOV.UK Chat is being developed and tested to support users in accessing accurate and clear information about public services on GOV.UK. Its effectiveness is assessed through structured user testing and independent evaluation.

Robust safeguards are in place to ensure reliability and security. GOV.UK Chat answers are exclusively drawn from guidance published on the GOV.UK website. The team has worked with the AI Security Institute and Anthropic to implement guardrails to prevent malicious or inappropriate use, and to carry out red-teaming activity as further assurance.

During the October 2025 pilot, the system successfully prevented all attempted efforts to circumvent its safeguards. Testing and assurance activity will continue as the service develops, with accuracy, clarity and safety as core priorities

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the likelihood of children and young people migrating to alternative online services if age verification is introduced unevenly across service types, and what assessment she has made of the potential for app store or operating system level age assurance to mitigate such displacement.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Ofcom will publish a report on the effectiveness of age assurance in terms of compliance with the duties under the Online Safety Act by July 2026, and a separate report on the role of app stores in protecting children by January 2027. We are also seeking views on a range of measures, including how age assurance can support effective implementation, as part of the government’s consultation to ensure children’s experiences online are safe and enriching.

We will not hesitate to take further action to protect children online whenever the evidence suggests we need to do so.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department plans to incorporate Ofcom’s findings on the role of app stores in protecting children from harmful content into the Government’s consultation on children’s use of technology; and whether she expects that report to inform any proposed requirements intended to apply consistently across app-based services.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Department engages regularly with Ofcom on implementation of the Online Safety Act, including Ofcom’s statutory report on the use of app stores by children due to be published in January 2027. The Government has ensured Ofcom is sufficiently resourced and has agreed a significant uplift to Ofcom’s online safety funding in 2025/26 in recognition of Ofcom’s increased duties as implementation of the Act progresses.

The Act allows the Secretary of State to bring app store providers into scope following Ofcom’s report. Our consultation on children’s technology use will also gather evidence on several measures, including strengthened age assurance.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has had recent discussions with Ofcom on the (a) timetable and (b) resourcing for its work on the role of app stores in children’s access to harmful content.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Department engages regularly with Ofcom on implementation of the Online Safety Act, including Ofcom’s statutory report on the use of app stores by children due to be published in January 2027. The Government has ensured Ofcom is sufficiently resourced and has agreed a significant uplift to Ofcom’s online safety funding in 2025/26 in recognition of Ofcom’s increased duties as implementation of the Act progresses.

The Act allows the Secretary of State to bring app store providers into scope following Ofcom’s report. Our consultation on children’s technology use will also gather evidence on several measures, including strengthened age assurance.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many directors with responsibility for human resources are employed across his Department and its executive agencies; and how many of those directors hold professional HR qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or equivalent professional bodies.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

There are a total of 4 Directors at SCS Pay band 2 with responsibility for human resources in DSIT and the department’s Executive Agencies.

The majority hold CIPD accreditation or equivalent HR qualifications.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many issues have been reported by the Government Digital Service on the Gov.UK One Login system and app for which the latest data is available.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

GOV.UK One Login is continuing to scale, with 227 services already onboarded, and over 15 million identities proven.

The GOV.UK One Login contact centre, which opened on the 31st October 2024, has received just over one million enquiries relating specifically to GOV.UK One Login. This includes a wide range of contacts, such as general queries, technical issues, and complaints.

The GOV.UK One Login Technical Service Desk, responsible for managing and supporting technical incidents, problems, cases, and requests for information, has dealt with over 40,000 escalated tickets since the 1st November 2023.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many issues have been reported by users on the Gov.UK One Login system and app for which the latest data is available.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

GOV.UK One Login is continuing to scale, with 227 services already onboarded, and over 15 million identities proven.

The GOV.UK One Login contact centre, which opened on the 31st October 2024, has received just over one million enquiries relating specifically to GOV.UK One Login. This includes a wide range of contacts, such as general queries, technical issues, and complaints.

The GOV.UK One Login Technical Service Desk, responsible for managing and supporting technical incidents, problems, cases, and requests for information, has dealt with over 40,000 escalated tickets since the 1st November 2023.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Demos report A Declaration on Digital Rights: Embedding human rights in a new deal for the digital age, published on 10 February; and what steps they are taking to embed human rights protections in the UK’s regulatory approach to technology and AI.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We are committed to embedding human rights protections across the UK’s approach to regulating technology and AI. The UK already complies with human rights obligations including via the Human Rights Act (HRA) 1998. Individuals can uphold those rights in UK courts, which have always interpreted the rights set out in the European Convention on Human Rights and applied under the HRA in a flexible way that keeps up with new technology.

The UK has helped to shape the passage of key international AI initiatives, such as signing the Council of Europe’s AI Convention. This is the world’s first legally binding agreement on AI grounded in human rights, democracy and the rule of law. We will implement the Convention in a proportionate, innovation-friendly way, leveraging our existing human rights framework and sector-led regulation to safeguard rights while supporting growth.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology has had, or plans to have, with the Revenge Porn Helpline about the work it undertakes helping victims of intimate image abuse.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in all its forms, including online, is a priority for this Government.

The Department has engaged with a range of specialist organisations, including the Revenge Porn Helpline and others supporting victims of intimate image abuse, to understand emerging challenges and inform our ongoing policy development. We recently announced stronger protections for victims of intimate image abuse by requiring platforms to remove such content within 48 hours, enabling images to be blocked across services. We will continue to engage with relevant organisations, including the Revenge Porn Helpline, as these measures are implemented.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Online Safety Act 2023, how the department is ensuring that the voices of children are considered in the implementation of the Act, to help ensure that their concerns and experiences are heard and acted on.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

On 2 March, the government launched a landmark consultation on how to give young people the childhood they deserve in an online world. Alongside the formal consultation, we have launched a child and parent-friendly version, ensuring these important voices are properly heard.

As part of the National Conversation running alongside the consultation, we will be hosting events across the UK to hear directly from young people. Families, young people, and communities from all over the UK are encouraged to discuss this vital topic in community events, MP-led local conversations, and engagement through schools and civil society organisations.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps the department is taking to ensure the implementation of the Online Safety Act 2023 does not inappropriately impact on individual rights to privacy.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The right to privacy is central to our online safety work. The Online Safety Act has cross-cutting duties to ensure that users’ rights and privacy are protected. All providers are required to give particular regard to the importance of protecting users’ rights when implementing measures to comply with their new safety duties.

As the independent regulator of the Online Safety Act, Ofcom may refer matters to the Information Commissioners Office if it has concerns that a provider has not complied with its obligations under data protection law.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps the department is taking to ensure that age verification measures implemented by social media apps such as snapchat in response to the Online Safety Act 2023 are effective.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

As the regulator, Ofcom is responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the Online Safety Act. Ofcom has set out in guidance that age assurance technologies should fulfil the four criteria of technical accuracy, robustness, reliability, and fairness to be considered highly effective.

Ofcom is set to publish reports on age assurance and the use of app stores by children by July 2026 and January 2027 respectively. The public consultation on protecting children online will also seek views on strengthening age assurance measures. Where evidence demonstrates further action is necessary to protect children online, we will not hesitate to act.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress the Medical Research Council has made on delivering ME/CFS research improvements.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Medical Research Council (MRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), has prioritised research into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) for many years, investing over £4.65 million since 2020, and welcomes high quality applications in this area.

MRC is working with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to deliver on agreed actions from the ME/CFS Final Delivery Plan. This includes funding strategic initiatives to increase research capacity and hosting engagement events to bring together research funders, commercial and academic researchers and patient representatives. For example, in November DHSC, NIHR and UKRI, co-hosted a research showcase to discuss and explore the ongoing research in the fields of ME/CFS and long COVID. MRC continues to liaise with the ME/CFS research community to support future applicants.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many mobile masts have been installed in (a) England (b) Wales (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland that provide coverage in areas that did not previously have coverage in each of the past 10 years.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Over the last 10 years, Ofcom reports that 4G coverage from at least one operator has risen from 72% in 2016 to 96% in 2025. During this period mobile masts have been installed to provide new coverage via both Government subsidised rollout and by commercial rollout.

For example, through the Shared Rural Network, a joint deal between Government and the network operators, so far a total of 121 masts have been installed or upgraded. As part of this, the Extended Area Services project has provided new commercial 4G coverage across 30 sites in England, 40 sites in Scotland and 49 sites in Wales. The Total Not Spots project has so far installed 2 masts in Scotland.

Government does not track the number of masts providing new coverage via commercial rollout so cannot provide a total figure for the number of new masts that have been installed. It is for network operators to determine if additional masts are needed, and where these should be deployed, to deliver a reliable, high-quality service for their customers. Detail on the availability of fixed and mobile networks in each nation is available in Ofcom’s Connected Nations Report 2025.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to paragraph 88 of the UK Government Resilience Action Plan, how many meetings Ministers in their Department have attended related to the Home Defence Programme.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

DSIT Ministers have regular discussions with officials, external experts and ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including national security, defence and resilience.

The Home Defence Programme was established in August 2024 to build the UK’s resilience to any potential escalation to conflict. It is an evolving and enduring programme of work which provides defence, security and resilience planning, focused on aligning military and civil effort in the event of a period of crisis and international hostilities affecting the UK, informed by and reflecting the recommendations from government strategies, including the Strategic Defence Review, National Security Strategy and Resilience Action Plan.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is actively supporting this work.

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 effectiveness of online safety and content moderation standards on social media platforms, including Snapchat and TikTok, particularly in relation to violent content.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Online Safety Act requires companies to tackle illegal content, including content inciting violence. They must also protect children from certain forms of legal violent content, including content depicting or encouraging serious violence. Ofcom has robust enforcement powers to ensure platforms comply with these duties.

My department is working with Ofcom and the Home Office to monitor how often violent and illegal content is encountered across all major social media platforms, and the impact this has on users, especially children. We are keeping our online safety regime under constant review and we will act where evidence shows further intervention is necessary.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many existing mobile masts have been removed in (a) England (b) Wales (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in each of the past 10 years.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Department does not track the number of mobile masts that are removed. Masts may be removed or relocated for a number of reasons and this is a commercial matter for operators.

Over the last 10 years, Ofcom reports that 4G coverage from at least one operator has risen from 72% in 2016 to 96% in 2025.

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 implications of increased AI deployment in customer-facing services for consumer protection online.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government aims for the UK to be a global leader in AI, using our strengths in AI to boost growth, productivity and consumer benefits. Safe and trustworthy deployment is central to this.

We are taking action to support the UK’s AI assurance market and enable consumers to be confident that the services they use will work as intended. This includes establishing an £11 million AI Assurance Innovation Fund to support the development of new, innovative assurance techniques for the most capable AI systems, launching the new Centre for AI Measurement at the National Physical Laboratory, and convening a consortium of stakeholders to work towards a future AI assurance profession.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to support the mental health of young people reliant on online communities for emotional and social support.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government recognises that for many young people, online communities can play an important role in providing emotional and social support. It is vital that these online spaces are safe. Through the Online Safety Act, in-scope services are required to protect children from illegal and harmful and age-inappropriate content.

On 2 March, the government launched a consultation which will explore options to ensure children’s experiences online are safe and enriching.

The Department of Health and Social Care is working to improve access to mental health support for young people, both online and offline.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps the Department is taking to limit exposure of children to harmful content on a) self harm and b) eating disorders through social media algorithms.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Online Safety Act requires services, including social media, to protect children from illegal, harmful, and age-inappropriate content.

In scope services that are likely to be accessed by children must use highly effective age assurance to prevent children from encountering the most harmful types of content, such as content that encourages, promotes or provides instructions for self-harm and eating disorders.

The Act requires services to consider, as part of their risk assessments, how algorithms could impact children’s exposure to illegal content and content which is harmful to children on their service.

Ofcom can take robust enforcement action against services failing to comply with their duties.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Children’s Commissioner for England on proposals to protect young people in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme, b) Staffordshire and c) England from harm online.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

On 2 March, the government launched a landmark consultation on how to give young people the childhood they deserve in an online world. This includes versions accessible to both children and busy parents.

In addition, we have started the National Conversation to gather input from parents and children throughout the UK. Children are at the heart of this discussion; we've held two events with the Children’s Commissioner for England so far, and we plan to keep working together in the future.

Details of ministerial meetings, including the purpose of meetings, are published quarterly on the GOV.UK website.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to evaluate the potential impact of the proposed under-16 social media ban on young people’s access to support and educational resources.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government recognises that there are benefits for children being online and for many young people, online services can play an important role in providing support and access to educational resources.

On 2 March, the government launched a consultation on how to ensure children can grow up with a safer and more enriching relationship with the online world. The consultation seeks views on a range of options to help shape our next steps and the potential impacts of these.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to require the use of digital watermarking on AI images.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government continues to explore the feasibility of technical solutions for the identification of AI-generated content, such as digital watermarking, to support transparency.

AI is a general-purpose technology with a wide range of applications, which is why the government believes that most AI systems should be regulated at the point of use. In response to the AI Action Plan, the government committed to work with regulators to boost their capabilities. The government has been clear that we will legislate where needed but we will do so on the basis of evidence where any serious gaps are.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with Ofcom on a) harassment, b) grooming and c) image misuse linked to publicly accessible profiles of children under age 13.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government engages closely with Ofcom on the implementation and enforcement of the Online Safety Act, including regular discussions on risks to children.

The Act has strong protections for children. The Act requires in-scope services to protect children from illegal content and criminal activity, including illegal harassment and bullying, grooming, sexual exploitation and abuse and offences relating to sexual images.

Last month, Ofcom announced the fast-tracking of decisions on proactive technology requirements, such as using hash matching to block illegal intimate images.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, further to the Westminster Hall debate of 14 January 2026 titled ‘impact of Science and Discovery Centres on national science and technology priorities', whether science and discovery centres now fall within the remit of her department.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Science and Discovery Centres are primarily cultural institutions and visitor attractions which would normally fall under the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) remit.

Where they carry out research, they are funded for those activities, for example through UK Research and Innovation or other funders.

DSIT is engaging with DCMS to discuss how government’s relationship with these important institutions can best be supported.

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 adequacy of the capabilities of UK data centres to meet the energy usage required with the increasing use of AI.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government keeps UK data centre capability under review and works closely with energy regulators, network operators and industry.

Through the AI Energy Council, Government is assessing system‑wide impacts, promoting energy efficiency and clean power solutions, and ensuring that growth in AI compute supports economic growth without undermining energy security or climate objectives.

Through AI Growth Zones, the Government is streamlining planning, improving access to power and crowding in investment, while ensuring developments are located where energy system impacts can be managed effectively.

UK Data and AI infrastructure is subject to the UK’s environmental and planning frameworks, which require assessment of impacts such as energy use. Larger data centres, which will be able to apply through the recently introduced Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project route, will also be subject to these requirements.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help support right holders’ control over whether their works are used to train AI models.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Our copyright regime must deliver for British people and businesses. This means helping creative industries to thrive while unlocking the extraordinary potential of AI.

We have consulted on a set of options and continue to seek views on how best to meet our objectives on AI and copyright from stakeholders and experts, including through the technical working groups and Parliamentary working groups.

The government will publish a report on the use of copyright works in the development of AI systems by 18 March. This report will set out the evidence and views we have gathered and our next steps.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help prevent the sale of counterfeit goods online.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government is committed to protecting intellectual property rights, safeguarding businesses and consumers from those who profit from infringement, in line with the UK’s Intellectual Property Counter Infringement Strategy.

The Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) leads action against serious and organised IP crime online, including disrupting websites selling counterfeit goods.

The Intellectual Property Office also regularly meets many of the major social media and e-commerce trading platforms in the UK and overseas to help ensure they have policies in place to remove goods identified as counterfeit, advertisements of counterfeit goods, and persistent sellers of counterfeit goods.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to protect the security of onshore telecommunication cables within Great Britain.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government is committed to ensuring the security and resilience of the UK’s telecommunications infrastructure.

As the lead government department for telecoms, DSIT is responsible for developing policies, including legislation, to help ensure the security of the UK’s public telecoms networks and services, and where appropriate works closely across government to ensure a coordinated approach. In doing so, it works closely with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), as the UK’s lead technical authority for cyber security.

The Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021 sets out a robust telecoms security framework, requiring public telecoms providers to identify, reduce and prepare for the risk of security compromises to their networks and services. The government consulted on updating the associated Code in 2025.

Public telecoms providers are responsible for the cyber-security of their own networks, including onshore telecommunications cables, in line with their obligations under this framework. Ofcom, as the telecoms regulator, is responsible for monitoring and enforcing their compliance with those obligations.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment has his Department made of the potential merits of moderating online porn companies which promote harmful content.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Online Safety Act’s illegal content safety duties cover illegal extreme pornographic content, ensuring companies put in place safety measures which mitigate and manage risks. Providers must implement safety by design measures to mitigate illegal activity, reduce the risk of users carrying out illegal activity, and take down illegal content when it appears.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what comparative assessment her Department has made of (a) service-by-service age verification and (b) device, app store, or operating system level age assurance, in terms of consistency across services, enforceability and the risk of circumvention.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Ofcom considers age assurance to be highly effective when it meets particular criteria for technical accuracy, robustness, reliability and fairness, and has set out guidance on which methods meet that criteria. Ofcom will publish reports on age assurance and the use of app stores by children by July 2026 and January 2027 respectively.

Age assurance under the OSA takes place at platform level. While age assurance at other levels may offer benefits, we must allow time to assess the Act’s effectiveness before introducing further measures. The public consultation on protecting children online will seek views on strengthening age assurance measures.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the RISK Management Initiative on International Undersea Cables proposed by Taiwan in October 2025, what plans they have to enhance work with international partners such as Taiwan on undersea cable resilience.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government recognises the critical role of subsea telecoms cables for international connectivity.

The Government works closely with international partners, including Taiwan, to ensure the security and resilience of subsea telecoms cables. This includes engaging bilaterally with priority partners and multilaterally through NATO, the EU and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

This engagement focuses on preventing damage to cables, incident preparedness and response and ensuring cables are laid in the right places to serve UK interests.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to cooperate with international partners such as Taiwan on undersea cable resilience.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government recognises the critical role of subsea telecoms cables for international connectivity.

The Government works closely with international partners, including Taiwan, to ensure the security and resilience of subsea telecoms cables. This includes engaging bilaterally with priority partners and multilaterally through NATO, the EU and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

This engagement focuses on preventing damage to cables, incident preparedness and response and ensuring cables are laid in the right places to serve UK interests.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to encourage frontier artificial intelligence laboratories to establish significant operations in the United Kingdom, including through public co-investment and support for UK capital markets.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The UK is an excellent place for frontier artificial intelligence companies to expand operations, with a world leading R&D ecosystem which is home to four of the world’s top ten research institutions. These companies are already choosing to build in this country. For example, in February 2026 OpenAI announced that it is significantly expanding its presence in London, establishing the city as its largest research hub outside of the United States. Google DeepMind is also opening its first automated research lab in the UK this year.

The Government has also delivered an ambitious programme of reforms to make it easier for firms to list and raise capital on UK markets, this includes overhauling the Prospectus Regime and Listing Rules.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to reduce animal testing.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 25 November 2025 to Question UIN 91769.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when she plans to write to the Science and Technology Committee in response to questions 50-52, on Science and Discovery Centres, in the oral evidence session of 3 December 2025.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government recognises the contribution of Science and Discovery Centres to inspiring young people to pursue STEM interests and careers. Where they carry out research, Science Discovery Centres are eligible to apply for funding through UK Research and Innovation or other funders. Science and Discovery Centres are mainly cultural institutions and visitor attractions. Eligibility for, and access to, central Government funding streams for arts, culture and heritage infrastructure is a matter for the department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

DSIT is engaging with DCMS to consider how best to support Science and Discovery Centres and will write to the Science and Technology Committee, responding to questions 50–52, in due course.

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 2G and 3G mobile network switch-off on individuals who rely on simplified or accessibility-focused mobile handsets that do not support Wi-Fi Calling; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that vulnerable users are not digitally excluded.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The 3G switch-off in the UK was completed early 2026. We understand that this was a smooth process, and Ofcom and the mobile operators have reported no significant negative impacts on consumers.

The 2G switch-off will take place between 2029 and 2033. Ofcom have reported in its Connected Nations 2025 report that there are around 2 million 2G-only mobile users remaining (including 2G-only accessible handsets).

Government is working with the industry to ensure that 2G-only mobile customers are upgraded to 4G and/or 5G devices that support voice calls before 2G is switched off. This includes ensuring that customers are given sufficient notice by their operator to upgrade their devices, and vulnerable consumers are offered additional support where needed.

The Department is also assessing what the impact of the 2G switch-off will be on other use cases across critical sectors through cross-government and sector engagement.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department is taking steps to develop a single national fibre broadband coverage map that identifies gaps in connectivity.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government recognises the importance of fast and reliable broadband connectivity across the UK and is committed to identifying and addressing gaps in coverage, in line with our ambition to achieve 99% gigabit broadband coverage by 2032.

Ofcom is responsible for collecting data and reporting on broadband coverage at national, regional, and local levels. This information is already publicly available through their Connected Nations reports and interactive tool, which illustrates via heat maps coverage in nations, local authorities, and constituencies. For consumers, Ofcom also provides a broadband availability address checker.

Building Digital UK (BDUK) uses Open Market Reviews to collect and analyse data from suppliers, to identify which premises are likely to require public subsidy to receive a gigabit-capable connection and uses this information to support delivery of Project Gigabit. The raw data is published by BDUK, with the latest release in January 2026: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/september-2025-omr-and-premises-in-bduk-plans-england-and-wales.

Some third-party websites use the data published by BDUK to produce their own publicly available coverage maps.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what plans she has to publish annual data on media literacy levels among children and young people.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Ofcom has a duty to promote and research media literacy under the Communications Act 2003, as clarified by the Online Safety Act 2023. As part of this, Ofcom publishes research on children’s media use, attitudes and understanding, including its annual Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes report.

The government has no current plans to publish a separate dataset on media literacy levels among children and young people. We draw on Ofcom’s evidence to inform policy and commission additional research where appropriate. DSIT works closely with Ofcom to share insights, coordinate activity, and ensure research is proportionate and avoids duplication.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her department is taking to ensure telecommunications providers take responsibility for preventing scam calling.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Tackling fraud is a priority for this Government. We are working closely with industry, and on 5 November 2025 published the second Telecommunications Fraud Sector Charter. This includes actions to help strengthen trust in voice communications particularly the spoofing of UK numbers and by improving security, traceability and reliability of calls.

On 9 March, the Home Office published its new Fraud Strategy which sets out how the Government will work with all partners, including law enforcement and industry, to make the UK a much harder place for criminals to operate. As part of the Strategy, we are establishing a new Online Crime Centre. From April 2026 the police, GCHQ, banks, telecommunications and tech firms will work in one place to drive the response to online fraud.

Government also works closely with Ofcom, the independent regulator, who have a duty to protect consumers and to ensure that UK numbers are not misused. Ofcom has made several changes in recent years to help reduce scams, including since January 2025 Ofcom has required operators to block scam calls from abroad which present as a UK numbers.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Science and Discovery Centres have access to central Government funding streams, including eligibility for Department for Culture, Media and Sport funding for arts and heritage infrastructure.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government recognises the contribution of Science and Discovery Centres to inspiring young people to pursue STEM interests and careers. Where they carry out research, Science Discovery Centres are eligible to apply for funding through UK Research and Innovation or other funders. Science and Discovery Centres are mainly cultural institutions and visitor attractions. Eligibility for, and access to, central Government funding streams for arts, culture and heritage infrastructure is a matter for the department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

DSIT is engaging with DCMS to consider how best to support Science and Discovery Centres and will write to the Science and Technology Committee, responding to questions 50–52, in due course.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment has she made of a) the cybersecurity vulnerabilities and b) risk of data manipulation, of the Government Consultation, Growing up in the online world: a national consultation.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

This consultation is being run in line with Government standard practice. The surveys ask for some non-identifying personal information, such the types of individuals and groups participating, for analytical purposes. We will process any personal data in accordance with all applicable data protection laws and in accordance with the departmental Privacy Policy.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how she will measure UKRI progress in meeting priority areas and outcomes of the UKRI AI Research and Innovation Strategic Framework; and how Parliament will be updated on this.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) AI Research and Innovation Strategic Framework, published on 19 February 2026, sets out six priority action areas and associated outcomes to 2031.

UKRI will measure progress through the framework’s delivery plan, which it will publish and update regularly, and through its existing performance framework, including a quarterly, balanced scorecard and annual review. In line with UKRI’s commitment to advance knowledge, improve lives and drive growth, DSIT will work closely with UKRI to ensure that metrics include how the department is contributing to growth, the UK Industrial Strategy and other government priorities. Parliament will be updated through the normal accountability routes, including UKRI’s Annual Report and Accounts, which will be laid in Parliament, and responses to Parliamentary Questions.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with Ofcom on taking steps to help prevent schools wars content circulating on social media platforms.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government takes the safety of children extremely seriously. Under the Online Safety Act, enforced by Ofcom, social media companies must act on content that is illegal. This includes material that incites violence and includes threatening behaviour likely to cause fear or provoke immediate violence. Platforms must also remove content that is harmful to children, such as dangerous online challenges.

Ofcom has the government’s full backing to use all the powers given to it by Parliament in the exercise of its regulatory responsibilities.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has held discussions with the Met Office on steps to encourage more detailed presentation of weather information to support the visitor economy.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Public Weather Service (PWS) Customer Group has been working closely with the Met Office to strengthen the focus on supporting the outdoor economy, including tourism, through the Thrive theme within the PWS Customer Service Agreement. To enhance this work, the membership of the Customer Group has recently been expanded to include the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Head of Domestic Tourism.

Steps have already been taken by the Met Office to deliver a series of improvements to enhance the presentation of weather information which can support the visitor economy, with further developments planned.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps are being taken to ensure that small and medium-sized manufacturers located in (i) Buckinghamshire and (ii) Milton Keynes can access innovation funding.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government is committed to supporting innovative SMEs and delivers innovation funding through Innovate UK.

Since 2020/21, SMEs in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes have received over £43 million across more than 200 Innovate UK-funded projects.

Innovate UK works with local authorities on innovation initiatives such as MK Tech Week 2025 and Innovate Local Buckinghamshire 2024. Regional Catapults, including the Satellite Applications Catapult at Westcott and the Connected Places Catapult in Milton Keynes, support SMEs to develop advanced technologies, whilst Innovate UK’s Talent & Skills Connect strengthens workforce pipelines. Innovate UK Business Growth and Innovate UK Business Connect provide embedded local support for innovative SMEs.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many of the recommendations of the report entitled Independent review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender, published on 19 March 2025 she has implemented.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government published the independent review of data, statistics and research on 19 March 2025.

The report was made available to departments and is being considered by relevant policy teams alongside ongoing policy work in this area.

The Government recognises the importance of collecting accurate and relevant data on sex. The Government Statistical Service (GSS) Harmonisation Team within the Office for National Statistics (ONS) is continuing their work toward developing best practice harmonised standards for the topics of sex and gender identity.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking with international partners like Taiwan on undersea cable resilience.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government recognises the critical role of subsea telecoms cables for international connectivity.

The Government works closely with international partners, including Taiwan, to ensure the security and resilience of subsea telecoms cables. This includes engaging bilaterally with priority partners and multilaterally through NATO, the EU and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

This engagement focuses on preventing damage to cables, incident preparedness and response and ensuring cables are laid in the right places to serve UK interests.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of adoption of digital and information technologies by businesses on productivity growth in the UK economy; and what steps they are taking to support the adoption of artificial intelligence to improve productivity.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

As highlighted in His Majesty’s Government’s Technology Adoption Review, Historical trends indicate that technological innovations have significantly contributed to GDP growth, with emerging technologies, like AI, expected to drive substantial productivity gains in the coming years.

The Government is committed to realising these benefits. This includes working with industry to upskill 10 million workers with essential AI skills for work through our AI Skills Boost programme, and developing sector specific approaches to galvanise AI adoption in our growth-driving industrial strategy sectors by working with recently appointed AI sector champions. We are also ensuring AI adoption benefits local businesses, workers and communities through our recent announcement of Barnsley as the UK’s first Tech Town, and by delivering local skills and benefits packages in AI Growth Zones.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in regard to the Freedom from violence and abuse volume 2: action plan, published on 18 December 2025, what is the timetable for the cross-departmental team's examination of the recommendations of Baroness Bertin's Independent Pornography Review.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

To address the recommendations of Baroness Bertin’s Review, in December 2025 government announced through the ‘Freedom from Violence and Abuse’ strategy, the creation of a cross-government joint team, to rigorously examine the evidence to inform the government’s approach to pornography policy. The team began work in December 2025, and is formed of the Home Office, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Ministry of Justice and Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 28 January 2026, to Question 107041, on DSIT: Public Appointments, and to the answer of 28 January 2026, to Question 106743, on DBT: Public Appointments, how many public appointments in DSIT made a declaration of political activity.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

All Public Appointees complete a political activity form as part of the application process. If appointees declare any political activity, the detail is reviewed, assessed for risk and appropriate mitigations implemented where necessary.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Leong on 3 February (HL Deb col 1434) about the use of the SPACE framework to ensure safety, transparency and accountability for AI, in which publication, document or statement they set out that approach; and what activity they have taken to implement it.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government’s response to the AI Opportunities Action Plan outlines our regulatory approach to strengthening AI safety, security and robustness. We have accepted - and are acting on - recommendations to enhance regulatory capabilities. We have also announced a new Centre for AI Measurement to develop new AI assurance tools and strengthen the UK AI Assurance ecosystem; committed to ensuring that the AI Security Institute has the ability to deliver on its responsibilities, is trusted by others, and works well with partners; and concluded a call for evidence on the AI Growth Lab, a cross-economy AI sandbox, to inform further development, and identify priority areas for its focus.

The Regulatory Innovation Office supports the government’s pro‑innovation approach to regulation by working with businesses and regulators to cut approval times for innovation and technologies while maintaining safety and public confidence. The Regulatory Innovation Office also coordinates cross‑government action to remove regulatory barriers to growth.

Through such initiatives, the Government has taken important steps to ensure that most AI systems are already regulated at the point of use by our existing expert regulators. We are closely following how the technology develops, and where further action may be required.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the average period of time is for the Information Commissioner to decide whether to assign an Freedom of Information Internal Review request for investigation; and what is the average amount of time for any subsequent investigation and assessment to be take.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The ICO is dealing with an increase of over 30 percent in FOI cases submitted to them since April 2025. The ICO will continue to look at ways they can prioritise FOI casework and resources to ensure that case numbers can be adequately managed. Data on FOI complaints handling is available on the ICO’s website.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Met Office on the campaign, led by Chester Zoo on behalf of outdoor attractions, to encourage clearer presentation of weather forecasts to support informed decision making and the visitor economy.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Met Office has recently received an enquiry from the campaign and are considering an engagement plan to integrate this with their existing plans to develop the 'Thrive' theme of the Public Weather Service including tourism facing services.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what proportion of national manufacturing research and development grants are allocated to SMEs.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government is committed to delivering record R&D funding, and recognises the significant impact of innovative SME’s on the UK’s economic growth. The government delivers grant funding to innovative businesses through Innovate UK, which is a part of UK Research and Innovation.

Since 2023/24, 84% of Innovate UK’s manufacturing research and development grants awarded directly to businesses have been allocated to SMEs. If including the grants awarded to universities and other research partners collaborating with businesses, 58% of all of Innovate UK’s manufacturing research and development grants since 2023/24 have been allocated to SMEs.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to her Department’s Statement of Strategic Priorities for Ofcom, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of role of the Competition and Markets Authority in sustaining network competition in the fixed broadband market.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Competition and Markets Authority’s role is to effectively investigate, as needed, mergers and anti-competitive practices in the fixed telecoms market in order to promote competition and protect consumers to drive economic growth and improve household prosperity, and works as appropriate with Ofcom as the sector regulator in doing so.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to increase the number of science parks in the UK.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government is ensuring that everyone benefits from innovation-led economic growth by supporting clusters of R&D excellence across the UK. As these clusters grow our ambition is that investment into science parks increases in all regions of the UK.

We are investing up to £500 million in the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, for local leaders to grow their high-potential innovation clusters and create jobs. The Local Innovation Partnerships Fund empowers local leaders to target R&D investment to the needs of their areas, including investing in R&D facilities to build regional innovation capability.

A new Mayoral Revolving Growth Fund will give six Mayoral Strategic Authorities in the North and Midlands a devolved pot of funding to address access‑to‑finance barriers, including for the development of commercial scientific infrastructure. Decisions on projects, including support for laboratory space, will rest with the respective authorities. Developers are also able to engage with the National Wealth Fund on potential financing for life science laboratory space.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to improve the quality of 5G available on rail networks.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Our ambition is for all populated areas to have higher quality standalone 5G by 2030. As part of the Government’s Mobile Market Review Call for Evidence, launched on 10 February 2026, we are asking for detailed evidence on how government should think about, and define, ‘good’ mobile coverage in relation to the quality of service provided to consumers, businesses and the public sector.

In the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy (June 2025), the Government committed to work with Ofcom and other regulators to assess the telecommunications needs of the transport sector, including rail networks, by December 2026. My officials are undertaking this assessment alongside the Department for Transport, the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, and Ofcom, the regulator for telecommunications.

The Department for Transport has secured funding to introduce low-Earth-orbit satellite connectivity on all mainline trains, which will significantly improve both the availability and internet data connection speeds for Wi-Fi connected passengers.

My officials are also working with Ofcom to improve the evidence base on mobile connectivity across the rail network, as recommended by the Public Accounts Committee.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has considered introducing minimum quality standards for 5G coverage from mobile providers.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government’s ambition is for all populated areas of the UK to have access to higher quality standalone 5G by 2030, and we are committed to working with industry to support the rollout of standalone 5G across the UK.

The Government is undertaking a Mobile Market Review to assess the impact of technological, structural and financial market developments on investment in comprehensive high-quality mobile connectivity. On 10 February 2026, Government published a Call for Evidence to support this assessment, and all stakeholders are encouraged to engage in this process ahead of it closing on 21 April 2026.

As part of the Call for Evidence, we are asking for detailed evidence on how the Government should think about, and define, ‘good’ mobile coverage in relation to the quality of service provided to consumers, businesses and the public sector. We are also looking to understand if there is evidence to suggest that the Government’s standalone 5G coverage ambition should go further.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what measures her Department is taking to support women working in UK science technology, engineering and mathematic sectors.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology recognises the importance of supporting women working in the UK science, technology, engineering and mathematic sectors.

In December 2025, DSIT launched the Women in Tech Taskforce to address the systemic barriers that prevent women from entering, progressing, and leading in the tech sector. In March 2026 DSIT launched a package to get more women into tech, including 300 paid tech placements and support for those returning after a career break. DSIT also announced a TechFirst Girls Competitition and the Women in Tech Taskforce launched a call for evidence on building a more diverse tech sector.

This is on top of major programmes that DSIT supports such as the £187 million TechFirst initiative to support entry into the sector, the CyberFirst Girls annual tech competition, and Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation programme.

Alongside this, DSIT and UKRI are working to improve retention and career outcomes for women in research. On 11^th March, DSIT Secretary of State called on research institutions and funders to do more to support women in research and back a voluntary charter to raise standards and drive culture change. The charter, which will be shaped with employers and funders of researchers, will set a firm expectation that all PhD funders commit to meeting or exceeding UK Research and Innovation’s parental leave offer for doctoral students. It will also agree clear, tangible commitments on other issues like support for those returning to work with caring responsibilities, greater job flexibility and addressing sexual discrimination and harassment.

DSIT have also doubled the government’s support for the Daphne Jackson Trust, who support researchers who have taken a career break, to £4m per year.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce statutory transparency obligations requiring AI developers to maintain and disclose records of copyright works used in training models; and if so, whether those obligations are being considered independently of any copyright exemption.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The government will publish a report on the use of copyright works in the development of AI systems by 18 March. This report will consider the policy options set out in the government’s consultation on copyright and AI, set out the evidence and views we have gathered and outline our next steps in areas such as transparency.

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 improvements in physics education on the development of new technologies and economic growth.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Physics education is the responsibility of the Department for Education.

The government recognises the importance of research, including physics, to economic growth and its contribution to the UK’s innovation capacity and industrial strategy.

This academic year, two thirds of the £1.3bn Strategic Priorities Grant to HE is to support the provision of high-cost subjects, including physics. From this, the Office for Students allocates £1,737 per student FTE to providers for physics students.

42% of UK Research and Innovation funded PhDs in 2024/25 were through the Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. UKRI will invest over £2bn in doctoral training this spending review period.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the contribution of international cooperation to the delivery of the UK's AI strategy; and what steps they are taking to strengthen bilateral and multilateral partnerships to promote responsible AI development and economic competitiveness.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

International collaboration is vital to ensure the UK can unlock AI’s full potential.

The UK has sought to be a global leader in AI, developing our bilateral and multilateral partnerships to ensure effective collaboration towards safe, secure and responsible AI, and deliver on the AI Opportunities Action Plan.

We work bilaterally to advance UK interests and support economic growth, ranging from bilateral AI and compute partnerships with countries including Canada, France and the Netherlands, funding UK involvement in the multilateral EuroHPC Joint Undertaking and signing the U.S.-UK Technology Prosperity Deal in September 2025. We are also leading contributors to multilateral fora, including the AI Summit series initiated by the UK at Bletchley Park in November 2023. The most recent summit took place in India, and the Deputy Prime Minister led the UK delegation. The UK is secretariat to the International AI Safety Report – the world’s first comprehensive synthesis of evidence on advanced AI risks and capabilities, which is an important foundation for international collaboration. We are also shaping the global conversation on AI at the UN, OECD, G7 and G20.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what economic impact assessment they have undertaken, or commissioned, regarding the effect of a copyright exemption for AI training on (1) the creative industries, (2) licensing markets for training data, and (3) investment in AI development in the UK.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The government will publish an economic impact assessment by 18 March, as per Section 135 of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.

This will assess the impact of each of the policy options described in the consultation on copyright and AI, on copyright owners, and persons who develop or use AI systems.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will hold discussions with (a) Starlink and (b) O2 on data protection.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

All organisations providing services in the UK must comply with the UK’s data protection legislation, which is enforced independently of Government by the Information Commissioner.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of international approaches to copyright and AI training, including in the European Union and United States of America; and whether they have made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to UK copyright law on the UK's competitive position in AI and the creative industries.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The government has engaged bilaterally with many jurisdictions, such as the EU and the US, to discuss approaches to copyright and AI policy, share best practice and consider technical issues.

The government continues to seek views on how best to meet the UK’s objectives on AI and copyright, from stakeholders and experts, including through the technical working groups and Parliamentary working groups.

The government will publish a report on the use of copyright works in the development of AI systems by 18 March. This will set out the evidence and views we have gathered and outline our next steps.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 28 January 2026, to Question 107044, on Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Remote Working, for what reason the department does not follow the standard Civil Service 60% office attendance policy.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

DSIT’s office attendance (Hybrid Working) policy allows some flexibility for minimum office attendance to reflect the capacity of the office estate. As such DSIT requires employees to spend between a minimum of 40% and 60% of their weekly working hours in the office or other official work location, and with Senior Civil Servants and Fast Stream employees expected to do so at the upper end of this range.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential contribution of AI to productivity growth in the UK, particularly in professional services; and what steps they are taking to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises are able to adopt AI tools to increase productivity.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government recognises the significant role that digital and information technologies play in driving productivity growth across the UK economy. OECD analysis indicates that widespread AI adoption could raise UK productivity by 0.4–1.3 percentage points annually, potentially adding £55–140 billion in GVA by 2030.

The Government is committed to realising these benefits, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Shaheen Sayed, Chief Commercial Officer at Accenture has been appointed as the Professional Business Services (PBS) AI Champion. She will serve as a strategic link between industry and government, with a key objective to encourage PBS SMEs to adopt AI and digital technologies as a key enabler to growth and improved productivity. We are also working directly with industry on our ambitious commitment to upskill 10 million workers with essential AI skills for work through our AI Skills Boost programme.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are considering introducing a copyright exemption for commercial research, science and research or equivalent activities to permit the use of copyright works for artificial intelligence research and development without the consent of rightsholders; and if so, whether they will publish the scope of that exemption.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The government will publish a report on the use of copyright works in the development of AI systems by 18 March. This report will consider the policy options set out in the government’s consultation on copyright and AI, set out the evidence and views we have gathered and outline our next steps.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what proportion of UKRI and other research council funding was spent on (a) dementia, (b) cancer, (c) stroke and (d) coronary heart disease research in each year between 2019 and 2025.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Medical Research Council (MRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), supports world‑leading research to accelerate diagnosis, develop treatments and prevent disease.

Details of funding from MRC, as well as other research councils within UKRI, on specific areas is provided in the table below:

*'Rest of UKRI' spend figure for 2019/20 is unavailable. For 2024/25, ‘Rest of UKRI’ figure does not include funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, (i) if she is aware of the issues that some residents have encountered in creating a GOV.UK One Login, and (ii) what steps she is taking to improve the process of doing so.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

GOV.UK One Login is committed to making identity verification simple, inclusive and secure, enabling people to access government services while protecting them and the Government from fraud. While we expect GOV.UK One Login to become the primary method for accessing online government services, departments will continue to provide offline alternatives for those who prefer or are unable to use digital channels.

While most users successfully prove their identity, we recognise that some experience difficulties. The service is used by millions, and we continually monitor feedback, complaints and performance data to identify issues and drive improvements.

We are enhancing guidance, refining the user journey and introducing new identity verification routes to meet different user needs. Support is available through our contact centre and technical service desk for users who require assistance.

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 GOV.UK AI assistant pilot developed with Anthropic on (a) user satisfaction, (b) call centre volumes, and (c) accuracy of information provided to citizens.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The pilot of the GOV.UK AI assistant is currently being undertaken by GDS and will be concluding soon. We will then evaluate the concept to inform future development of the concept.

At this stage, the pilot is about learning and understanding the potential value of the technology for citizens in helping them get through complex life events. We will be considering accuracy and value as part of the final reporting on this pilot.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what total value of AI-related contracts has been awarded by all Government departments since July 2024; and what proportion has gone to (a) UK-headquartered firms and (b) firms headquartered outside the UK.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder).

Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,000 inc VAT are published on the Central Digital Platform Find a Tender service. This includes a note of the winning supplier. (https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Search).

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress she has made in developing photonic computing.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

DSIT are funding an Innovation and Knowledge Centre led by the University of Southampton’s world leading silicon photonics research foundry, Cornerstone. This centre is focused on translating silicon photonics technologies from research to industry, including photonic integrated circuits that are essential for optical computing.

In parallel, the UK’s National Quantum Computing Mission aims to build scalable quantum computers. We have already announced over £1bn of funding for the quantum technologies sector – which includes over £500m specifically around the development of quantum computing of which photonic approaches are an integral part. Details of key milestones and funding programmes under this investment will be published soon.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to page 92 of the Strategic Defence Review, how many meetings officials from their Department have attended on the national conversation on defence and security; which directorate in their Department is responsible for the departmental contribution to that national conversation; and what the job title is of the official responsible.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Officials from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology regularly attend meetings to discuss matters of national security, defence and resilience as well as the associated public communications required to deliver these lines of efforts. The conversation on National Defence was a recommendation in the 2025 Strategic Defence Review (SDR), which the Government accepted. The Ministry of Defence is the lead department for delivering the SDR, with support from the Cabinet Office, and particularly from the National Security Secretariat.

As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, the national conversation will be a multi-year, cross-departmental effort designed to deliver on the whole-of-society approach to national security and defence allowing Government, the private sector and public to play their part in strengthening the UK’s resilience to any potential future shocks. This work addresses the risks and threats the UK faces, including those below and above the threshold of an armed attack.

DSIT is actively supporting this work.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of expanding the Boulby Underground Laboratory to host the XLZD experiment on the economy in (a) Yorkshire and (b) the North East.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has not made a specific assessment of the potential economic impact of expanding the Boulby Underground Laboratory to host the XLZD experiment on the economies of Yorkshire or the North East.

The Department recognises the role of Boulby Underground Laboratory as the UK’s deep underground science facility, and the contribution it makes to the local area. STFC have invested over £30 million in the laboratory and the research taking place there over the last ten years alone.

All investments are based on an analysis of scientific and economic impact, as well as wider portfolio balance. Broader UKRI investment decisions will be announced in due course.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of creating a UK Government cloud computing system independent from technology multinationals' services.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government recognises the importance of a secure and resilient cloud infrastructure for the delivery of digital public services. As set out in the Roadmap for Modern Digital Government (2026), the government is developing a National Cloud Strategy. As part of this, the government will assess how to strengthen the security and resilience of UK cloud infrastructure and improve the cloud ecosystem.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure funding for physics research.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has committed to a record £58.5 billion investment in R&D over the next 4 years. Of this, UKRI will deliver £38.6 billion towards research and innovation with £14.5 billion allocated towards curiosity-driven research, in recognition of its fundamental importance for our future. DSIT and UKRI are also significantly increasing investment in areas underpinned by physics such as AI, quantum, semiconductors, cybersecurity and advanced connectivity technologies. The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) also provides funding for physics research, and has a £1.2 billion allocation for applicant led research over the SR.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) within UKRI is currently working with the sector to model different spending scenarios for its portfolio in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics (PPAN). The impacts of different modelled scenarios will be considered alongside feedback from the sector when taking final decisions. No final spending decisions have been made.

The UK also remains committed to international physics collaboration, including at CERN, where we are the second-largest contributor.

More generally, DSIT has asked UKRI to ensure that its allocation decisions, including those on individual physics programmes, are informed by meaningful consultation with the scientific research community and a robust assessment of potential consequences for the UK’s scientific capability and international standing.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 11 February 2026, to Question 110421, on Ofcom: Public Appointments, for what reason the application deadline was extended, and whether this was approved by Ministers.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The window for applications was extended to ensure that the competition attracted a strong and diverse field of candidates and to maximise the number of high‑quality applications for the role. This decision was taken in consultation with Ministers.

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 accelearate the rollout of standalone 5G to a) urban and b) rural areas in the UK.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government’s ambition is for all populated areas of the UK to have access to higher quality standalone 5G by 2030. Our ambition goes further than just the largest towns and cities and includes many rural areas across the UK. Delivery of this ambition is commercially led by the three mobile network operators (MNOs).

The network operators have committed significant investment which aligns with Government’s ambition and we are working with MNOs to ensure that this investment translates into benefits for communities right across the UK.

Significant progress has already been made with Ofcom reporting in their Connected Nations Report 2025 that standalone 5G is now available outside of 83% of premises across the UK, but we know there is more to do in some areas.

Government is undertaking a Mobile Market Review to assess the impact of technological, structural and financial market developments on investment in comprehensive high-quality mobile connectivity across the UK.

In parallel we are working to identify and address barriers to deployment of mobile infrastructure. This includes publishing a call for evidence to help determine where planning rules could be relaxed to support the deployment of mobile infrastructure, which closed on 26, February. We are now reviewing the evidence gathered which will inform our next steps.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether address‑level coverage data will be published for the rollout of Project Gigabit Type C contracts in Caerfyrddin.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Building Digital UK publishes data providing premises-level information on the premises included in Project Gigabit contracts every four months. Approximately 5,600 premises in the Caerfyrddin constituency are currently included in the scope of Project Gigabit contracts being delivered by Openreach. These contracts are expected to complete by 2030.

On 13 March, we also launched the gigabit broadband availability checker on GOV.UK, which allows residents and businesses in England and Wales to see whether gigabit-capable broadband is available at, or planned for, their address, including through Project Gigabit.

While this data provides transparency on which premises are included in subsidised plans, Project Gigabit suppliers are responsible for determining local delivery schedules. Communities are therefore encouraged to register their details with suppliers to receive the latest updates as build progresses.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of alternate infrastructure to replace copper wire ADSL systems.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

ADSL relies on the copper based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The PSTN is increasingly unreliable and prone to failure. In 2024/25 there were over 2,600 major incidents on the PSTN, each affecting 500 or more customers. This is why industry have taken the decision to upgrade to fibre-based Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

VoIP technology is more resilient, more secure, enables better quality phone calls, and can be used to block scam calls. Fibre cables are less prone to damage during severe weather events, have a 50% lower fault rate than copper, and are more energy efficient. Fibre based digital infrastructure offers customers significantly faster speeds than copper-based ADSL.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress has been made implementing the recommendations of the State of Digital Government Review since its publication in January 2025.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Since January 2025, the Government has united digital, data, and AI teams into one centre to tackle identified systemic blockers to transformation. Government has also launched the GOV.UK app, the digital HM Armed Forces Veteran Card, and 13.2 million people have now proven their identity using the single sign-on system OneLogin.

In January 2026, the Government published ‘A Roadmap for Modern Digital Government’, its plan to make government more user-focused, efficient and resilient to deliver better outcomes for the public and the economy. It provides a public-facing, whole-of-government commitment to digital transformation and holds departments accountable for progress, updates on which will be regularly published.

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 contribution of international postgraduate researchers to the UK’s scientific output.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The UK is committed to attracting international postgraduate research (PGR) students as part of our ambition to attract the best research talent across the research pipeline. International PGRs make significant contributions to the UK’s research strength and scientific output. In 2024/25, 42% of the UK’s 120,000 postgraduate research students were non‑UK; 58% in Engineering and Technology; and 79% in research‑intensive universities, where scientific output is highest (HESA). International PGRs contribute to the over two hundred thousand research articles from the UK each year, placing the UK globally in first position on Field Weighted Citation Impact among comparator countries since 2007 (GOV.UK).

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for the life sciences sector.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Life Sciences Sector Plan, published in July 2025, launched a ten year programme to cement the UK’s position as a global life sciences leader. The Secretary of State is in regular contact with Cabinet colleagues, and we have strengthened the Office for Life Sciences as a trilateral unit across DSIT, DHSC and DBT, bringing together health, industrial strategy and innovation, and appointed an Executive Chair, Steve Bates, to provide leadership and accountability.

This collaborative approach is delivering, with the UK securing multibillion pound private investment, building new research infrastructure, scaling manufacturing, streamlining regulation, strengthening clinical trials and driving medical breakthroughs.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the reports required under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 will examine an expansion of the existing text and data mining exemption to cover commercial uses; and whether the introduction of such an expansion is their current policy.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The government will publish a report on the use of copyright works in the development of AI systems by 18 March. The report will consider the policy options set out in the government’s consultation on copyright and AI, set out the evidence and views we gathered and outline our next steps.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has issued guidance to public office holders on taking steps to help prevent the hacking of social media accounts.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has not issued specific guidance on this topic and directs all social media users to the guidance on using social media safely available online from the National Cyber Security Centre.

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 benefits of making digital watermarking of AI mandatory.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government continues to explore the feasibility of technical solutions for the labelling of AI-generated content to support transparency, such as through the Deepfake Detection Challenge.

AI is a general-purpose technology with a wide range of applications, which is why the government believes that most AI systems should be regulated at the point of use. In response to the AI Action Plan, the government committed to work with regulators to boost their capabilities. The government has been clear that we will legislate where needed, but we will do so on the basis of evidence where any serious gaps are.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many of the AI-related (a) Memorandums of Understanding and (b) service agreements signed by her Department since July 2024 are with UK-headquartered companies; and what steps she is taking to ensure UK-based AI firms have equitable access to Government procurement.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The UK Government has signed AI-related Memorandums of Understanding with OpenAI, Google DeepMind, NVIDIA, Cohere and Anthropic. All of these firms have significant office presence or headquarters in the UK, and many are expanding here. For example, in February 2025 OpenAI announced it is significantly expanding its presence in London, establishing the city as its largest research hub outside the United States. Google DeepMind is also opening its first automated research lab in the UK this year.

To ensure UK-based AI firms have equitable access to government procurement, DSIT has developed an AI Commercial Strategy. This provides a clear model for sourcing AI solutions, enabling government teams to select the most effective route for each need, while using mechanisms that encourage experimentation and support UK SMEs and startups.

Our Incubator for AI is also working across government to explore how AI can transform public services. Starting with planning and education, these projects combine political backing, government AI engineering capability, the agility of DSIT's commercial innovation hub, and departmental expertise to bring frontier AI into government and redesign services around citizens' needs.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether specific, measurable deliverables have been agreed with (a) Anthropic, (b) OpenAI and (c) Google DeepMind under the Memoranda of Understanding signed since February 2025.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government has signed Memoranda of Understanding with these companies to support industry cooperation. You can read the full details of these agreements on the GOV.UK website for each company: Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google DeepMind.

The Government is already working with these firms to deliver on UK objectives. For example, Anthropic are developing an AI assistant to transform GOV.UK services, and OpenAI are collaborating with the Ministry of Justice to support businesses with AI innovation.

Our AI Security Institute also collaborates closely with these companies to research the serious risks that advanced AI could pose. Through this collaboration, the Institute helps to identify vulnerabilities in developers' models; both OpenAI and Anthropic have addressed dozens of such issues before releasing their models.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many meetings Ministers and senior officials have held with representatives of (a) Anthropic, (b) OpenAI, (c) Google, (d) Microsoft, (e) Meta and (f) Palantir since July 2024.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The full details of Ministerial and senior civil servant-level meetings will be published publicly in quarterly transparency returns.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much Innovate UK funding has been awarded to organisations based in Bradford in each of the last three financial years.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Innovate UK’s grant funding database shows that during the most recent three full financial years, Innovate UK offered £4.97 million in grant awards to organisations registered in the Bradford local authority area. This is broken down by financial year as follows:

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of digital piracy and intellectual property infringement on the creative industries.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The UK Government recognises the challenges that digital piracy creates for intellectual property (IP) owners, creators and businesses within the creative industries. We work closely with law enforcement partners, rights holders, consumers, and industry to understand where and how this is taking place.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has conducted research into the scale of digital piracy, and IP infringement more broadly across multiple sectors. For example, two IPO consumer surveys published in 2025 demonstrated that digital piracy continues to be a challenge in the UK. In 2024, 29% of UK residents aged 12+ (around 17.2 million) had recently accessed online content that infringed IP rights. This activity can have a negative impact on businesses, including the creative industries. These impacts include, but are not limited to, lost sales and the costs related to monitoring and enforcement.

This information is used, along with other data we collect on online infringement (e.g., use of counterfeit goods) to help design measures that can affect consumer behaviour and provide cost-effective, targeted enforcement procedures

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Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2025, to Question 73334, on Internet: Security, what guidance has the National Protective Security Authority provided on using Virtual Private Networks to other organisations than DSIT.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

A summary of the wide variety of guidance provided by the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) is available on their website at www.npsa.gov.uk.

The national technical authority for cyber security is the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

Their website ww.ncsc.gov.uk provides a range of guidance on cyber security, including on the use of virtual private networks www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/device-security-guidance/infrastructure/virtual-private-networks

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of AI adoption on the productivity and competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); and what steps they are taking to support the responsible uptake of AI tools by SMEs.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Adoption of Artificial Intelligence by Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) can unlock significant productivity gains. An OECD paper published last year estimates that AI could increase UK annual labour productivity growth by 1.4 to 2.7 percentage points over 10 years. This has been estimated by DSIT analysts to be equivalent to £55 billion to £140 billion economic (GVA) growth.

It is important for government to support with this, in partnership with industry. That is why the Department for Business and Trade created the SME Digital Adoption Taskforce and are working to deliver on their ten recommendations, including a series of industry roundtables and local-level pilots to tackle barriers SMEs face when adopting digital technologies including AI.

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