Department for Science, Information and Technology: Abolition

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath Excerpts

Tuesday 21st July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Chief Whip (Lord Kennedy of Southwark) (Lab Co-op)]

It is the Cross Benches next, then we will come to the Conservative Benches.

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

My Lords, the sovereign AI fund will sit in DBIST. As the noble Lord is very aware, we announced the £500 million fund on 16 April. I have nothing to suggest that we will not be spending every penny of it.

[Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Lab)]

My Lords, is not the point here that this country is brilliant at innovation, thanks to our wonderful science base, but that we are hopeless at adoption and taking advantage of it? So many British inventions are being developed with investment overseas. Surely putting science and technology within the business department is the way to ensure that when we have these future inventions, we actually get the resources to develop them and take advantage of them in this country.

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

My noble friend is absolutely right. These changes are to make sure that we can align the science and research base directly with commercial application and job creation. Noble Lords will be aware that the new Prime Minister has announced the No. 10 of the north; this is to co-ordinate a growth-based strategy for every corner of the United Kingdom, using the tools available to us so that we can use the levers of government to deliver for every postcode.