Asked by: Baroness Alexander of Cleveden (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish an overview of the key threats they have identified to the UK's electoral processes.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
It is, and always will be, an absolute priority for this Government to protect our democratic and electoral processes. Several government publications provide an overview of key threats to the UK’s electoral processes as part of the Government’s Counter Political Interference and Espionage Action Plan to disrupt and deter foreign influence and spying from foreign states.
The Government’s strategy for modern, secure and inclusive elections, published in July, sets out our plan to strengthen oversight of and safeguards against known and emerging threats, including foreign interference through covert political funding. We will deliver a robust and proportionate response to known risks, protecting the integrity of our system and reinforcing public trust in democracy. The strategy can be found (attached) here: Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections - GOV.UK
Additionally, on December 16th 2025, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government announced an independent review into countering foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics. The terms of reference for the review can be found (attached) here: Independent review: countering foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics: Terms of Reference - GOV.UK
The findings of the independent review will build on both the Government’s Elections Strategy and Counter Political Interference and Espionage Action Plan and inform the elections and democracy bill that we will bring forward this year.
Furthermore, the national technical authorities have published overviews of key threats. The guidance that the National Protective Security Agency published in October highlights the range of vectors and tactics that foreign actors are using to target individuals working in UK politics. This can be found (attached) here: Defending Democracy | National Security Act | NPSA and the NCSC published guidance for political organisations and individuals to counter the cyber threat to elections: Defending democracy - NCSC.GOV.UK
Asked by: Baroness Alexander of Cleveden (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish a breakdown of the number of full-time staff working on the Defending Democracy Taskforce in each year since it began.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Defending Democracy Taskforce comprises Ministers and senior officials from multiple government departments, alongside representatives from law enforcement, the Parliamentary authorities, the Electoral Commission, and the UK Intelligence Community.
The Taskforce draws on expertise and skills from across this community. However, each department remains responsible for delivery on their respective priorities for the Taskforce, and provides resources as required.
There is also a dedicated Home Office team which supports the Taskforce in its work, including delivery of time limited work, which is reflected in the changing number of full time staff. In the financial year 2022-2023 and in 2023-2024, the staffing allocation to this central team was 12 full-time staff. In 2024-2025 this allocation was 9 full time-staff and the staffing allocation for the current year, 2025-2026, is 8.5 full-time staff.
Asked by: Baroness Alexander of Cleveden (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions the Defending Democracy Taskforce has had with (1) the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and (2) the devolved administrations, about the risks of foreign interference in UK elections.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Taskforce brings Ministers and senior officials from across government together with operational partners to deliver a whole-of-government response to the threats our democracy faces. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is a core member of the Taskforce.
On 16 December 2025, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government announced an independent review into countering foreign influence and interference in UK politics, chaired by Phillip Rycroft. This will report into both MHCLG and the Security Minister in his role as Chair of the Taskforce.
The Taskforce regularly engages with the Devolved Governments on its works. This engagement by the Taskforce and the Joint Election Security and Preparedness Unit (JESP), which leads on election security, will increase in run up to May’s elections.
Asked by: Baroness Alexander of Cleveden (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to make an annual statement to Parliament about the work and key findings of the Defending Democracy Taskforce.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
While the Security Minister is not planning an annual statement about the work of the Defending Democracy Taskforce, the Minister regularly updates Parliament about its progress and priorities, most recently as part of his November 2025 statement to the House on tackling espionage threats from China.
In addition, the Security Minister gave evidence on the work of the Taskforce to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy in March 2025, the Speaker’s Conference on the security of MPs, candidates and elections in April 2025 and the Joint Committee on Human Rights in relation to Transnational Repression in May 2025.
Asked by: Baroness Alexander of Cleveden (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support technological innovation.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Digital and Technologies sector plan, part of the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy, aims to make the UK the best place in the world to start and scale a fast growing technology business.
The plan focuses on six frontier technologies - Advanced Connectivity Technologies, AI, cyber, engineering biology, quantum and semiconductors - where the UK has comparative advantage. We will take a cross government approach to developing these frontier technologies to grow including through, skills programmes, improving access to finance, support with energy costs and leveraging international opportunities.
Targeted R&D investment will also be critical to driving innovation and incentivising private sector investment in these technologies. That is why in this SR, £58.5 billion is allocated for DSIT to invest in R&D, including funding for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Innovate UK - the UK’s national innovation agency.
Asked by: Baroness Alexander of Cleveden (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of the AI Growth Lab on economic growth.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government recognises that artificial intelligence represents a defining economic opportunity for the coming decade. The OECD estimates that AI adoption could add 0.4 to 1.3 percentage points to the UK’s productivity growth- equivalent to adding £55-140 billion to UK GVA in 2030.
Lab would drive innovation and growth, super charging investment in innovative start-ups. The exact quantity of investment is uncertain, but firms participating in a previous FCA sandbox received 6.6 times more investment compared to non-participants.[1]
Early analysis indicates that lifting unnecessary legal barriers to AI in the Lab could unlock billions of pounds of GVA by 2035.
[1] Goo, J. and J. Heo (2020), “The Impact of the Regulatory Sandbox on the Fintech Industry, with a Discussion on the Relation between Regulatory Sandboxes and Open Innovation”, 6 J. Open Innov. Technol. Mark. Complex, https://www.mdpi.com/2199-8531/6/2/.
Asked by: Baroness Alexander of Cleveden (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase skills and employment support for people receiving sickness benefits.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Long-term sickness continues to be the most common reason for economic inactivity among the working age population. Good work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Backed by £240 million investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched last November will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate.
Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems.
Measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care, WorkWell and NHS Health and Growth Accelerators.
It is also recognised that employers play an important role in addressing health and disability. To build on this, the DWP and DHSC Joint Work & Health Directorate (JWHD) is facilitating “Keep Britain Working”, an independent review of the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces. The lead reviewer, Sir Charlie Mayfield, is expected to bring forward recommendations in Autumn 2025.
Additionally, the JWHD has developed a digital information service for employers, continues to oversee the Disability Confident Scheme, and continues to increase access to Occupational Health.
In our March Green Paper, we set out our Pathways to Work Guarantee. We will build towards a guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for all disabled people and those with health conditions on out of work benefits.
The NHS 10 Year Health Plan, published in July, stated our intention to break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. It outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work.
Asked by: Baroness Alexander of Cleveden (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of the recent state visit by the President of the United States of America on business in the UK, in particular in Scotland.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
The historic state visit by President Trump demonstrated the unique depth, breadth, and importance of the UK-US relationship.
Businesses across the UK are set to benefit from over £150 billion of inward investment announced during the visit – the largest amount ever linked to a visit of this kind.
Businesses across Scotland are set to benefit from major new investments announced during the state visit, including a £1.5 billion commitment from CoreWeave to boost data centre capacity, which will include them partnering with DataVita in Lanarkshire to build one of Europe’s largest, most efficient AI data centres and significant expansion plans from BlackRock in Edinburgh nearly doubling their workforce to 1400. These investments will support jobs, innovation, and long-term growth in Scotland and across the UK.
Asked by: Baroness Alexander of Cleveden (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reform the pensions system to increase investment.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Pension Schemes Bill was introduced on 5 June, implementing the reforms outlined in the Pensions Investment Review.
The Bill sets out a vision for a pensions market with fewer, larger schemes which can use the benefits of scale to invest in a wider range of productive assets as well as deliver better outcomes for savers.
These reforms support the Mansion House Accord, an industry-led pledge to invest at least 10 per cent of defined contribution default funds into private markets by 2030, of which at least half is in the UK.
Furthermore, last year the British Business Bank announced the establishment of the British Growth Partnership, designed to crowd in investment from UK pension funds for our most innovative, fastest growing companies.
Asked by: Baroness Alexander of Cleveden (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support people with health conditions into work.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Good work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Backed by £240 million investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched last November will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate.
Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems.
Measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care and WorkWell.
It is also recognised that employers play an important role in addressing health and disability. To build on this, the DWP and DHSC Joint Work & Health Directorate (JWHD) is facilitating “Keep Britain Working”, an independent review of the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces. The lead reviewer, Sir Charlie Mayfield, is expected to bring forward recommendations in Autumn 2025.
The 10 Year Health Plan, published in July, stated our intention to break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. The Plan sets out the vision for what good joined-up care looks like for people with a combination of health and care needs, including for disabled people. Furthermore, it outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work.
This Government is committed to removing the barriers to work. We want to give people the confidence that working will not trigger a reassessment and a potential loss of benefits. That is why for people receiving Universal Credit , PIP (in England and Wales), or New Style Employment and Support Allowance we are introducing legislation that guarantees that trying work, in and of itself, will not be considered a relevant change of circumstance that will trigger a PIP award review or WCA reassessment.
Our Pathways to Work support offer will ensure a coherent and navigable offer of support, building on and bringing together initiatives such as Connect to Work, WorkWell and local Trailblazers. In our March Green Paper, we set-out our Pathways to Work Guarantee. We are building towards a guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for all disabled people and those with health conditions on out of work benefits. We anticipate that the Pathways to Work Guarantee once fully rolled out will include: (i) A support conversation that will help identify the best next steps, including a range of personalised and more intensive support; (ii) One-to-one caseworker support – this will build on evidence from recent pilot schemes, which has shown that, for some people, offering regular in-depth personalised appointments with a consistent advisor can help people who are ready to move towards or into work; (iii) Specialist longer-term work, health and skills support for those who are ready – building on evidence from programmes like the Work and Health Programme, Work Choice, Individual Placement and Support for those with severe mental illness or substance dependency, and evidence from successful skills training; (iv) Periodic engagement for people who are not yet ready for more work-focused engagement, the content and frequency depending on individual need, followed by signposting, if and when ready, onto other support.