Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many political appointees have been made by his Department since July 2024.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have taken ‘political appointees’ to mean special advisers. A list of special advisers by department is published each year in the Annual Report on Special Advisers which is laid in parliament. The Annual Report on Special Advisers 2026 will be published in due course.
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what artificial intelligence services or tools are used by their department; and whether the department has a contract with each provider of those services.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is committed to adopting artificial intelligence in a way that is transparent, responsible and accountable to the public.
Information about algorithmic and AI tools used by government departments to support decisions that affect members of the public, or that have a significant influence on a decision-making process with public effect, is published through the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS). The ATRS has been mandatory for central government departments since 2024, and records are published on GOV.UK at www.gov.uk/algorithmic-transparency-records. In addition, departments may use other internal tools which do not fall within the scope of the Standard.
In line with public procurement transparency requirements, departments publish contractual information for AI services and tools on Contracts Finder and, where above the relevant threshold, on the Find a Tender Service.
AI services and tools are accessed across government through a range of commercial routes. Departments may contract directly with AI providers, access AI products via intermediated routes such as reseller arrangements where the contractual relationship sits with a partner rather than the underlying provider, or use AI capabilities delivered as features within existing enterprise software and platform contracts (for example productivity, HR or service management tools).
Departments remain responsible in all cases for ensuring compliance with procurement legislation, securing value for money, and publishing relevant contractual information in line with transparency requirements.
The Scotland Office uses the information technology system provided and operated by the Cabinet Office, which has responsibility for all hardware and software procurement, administration, support maintenance, security, and integrity of the system. This includes artificial intelligence services and tools.
Correspondence Jul. 01 2026
Committee: Scottish Affairs Committee (Department: Scotland Office)Correspondence Jul. 01 2026
Committee: Scottish Affairs Committee (Department: Scotland Office)Oral Evidence Jul. 01 2026
Inquiry: The future of Gaelic BroadcastingCorrespondence Jun. 24 2026
Committee: Scottish Affairs Committee (Department: Scotland Office)Oral Evidence Jun. 24 2026
Inquiry: Securing Scotland’s Future: Defence Skills and JobsAsked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many times his Department has responded to a written parliamentary question with the answer that the information is not held in 2026.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The information requested can be found at https://questions-statements.parliament.uk.