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Written Question
UK Research and Innovation: Social Media
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to Q1 of the oral evidence given to the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee on 12 March 2024, whether her Department (a) monitors and (b) records political statements made on social media by UKRI board members.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

No. Due diligence is sometimes carried out by officials, at specific times, for example appointments made directly by DSIT, consistent with standard cross-government approaches.


Written Question
UK Research and Innovation: Social Media
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2024 to Question 18536 on UK Research and Innovation: Social Media, whether she has authorised the targeted collection of the views of academics on UKRI boards.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

No. Due diligence is sometimes carried out by officials, at specific times, for example appointments made directly by DSIT, consistent with standard cross-government approaches.


Written Question
Artificial Intelligence: Migrant Workers
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)

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 March 2024 to Question 17194 on Artificial Intelligence: Migrant Workers, when the new dedicated visa scheme will be operational.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The new Future Technology Research & Innovation (Government Authorised Exchange) visa scheme is expected to go live on 4 April 2024, which the Home Office announced in their Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules laid in Parliament on 14 March. This visa scheme will allow sponsored researchers and interns to come to the UK to work in eligible organisation in the areas of the Government’s five critical technologies (AI, engineering biology, future telecommunications, semiconductors, and quantum technologies).


Written Question
National Security Online Information Team: Social Media
Friday 22nd March 2024

Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the opening statement by the Secretary of State at the Lords Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee on 12 March 2024, whether the officials who alerted her to tweets posted by a EDI board member were part of the Counter Disinformation Unit.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

No.


Written Question
Kate Sang
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the opening statement by the Secretary of State at the Lords Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee on 12 March 2024, what the total cost to the public purse was of legal fees including the (a) £15,000 settlement paid and (b) other legal expenditure.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

A sum of £15,000 was paid without admitting any liability. This approach is intended to reduce the overall costs to the taxpayer that could result from protracted legal action.

Costs relating to legal fees incurred by the department will be published as part of DSIT’s Annual Report and Accounts.


Written Question
UK Research and Innovation: Social Media
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what her policy is on producing reports into the online activity of academics on UKRI boards.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Secretary of State is a staunch believer in free speech and would not authorise a sweeping collection of the views of academics.


Written Question
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Defamation
Thursday 14th March 2024

Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to paragraphs 7.16 and 7.17 of the Ministerial Code, on how many occasions Ministers in her Department have informed the Law Officers that they are the defendants in a libel action in (a) their personal capacity, (b) their official position and (c) both since 7 February 2023.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

As has been the practice under successive Governments, it is not the convention to comment on where the Law Officers have, or have not been, informed or advised on such legal matters. This is reflected in paragraph 2.13 of the Ministerial Code.


Written Question
Kate Sang
Wednesday 13th March 2024

Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to her letter of 28 October 2023 to UK Research and Innovation on that organisation's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion board, how much her Department paid to Professor Kate Sang.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

I refer the hon. Member to the opening statement by the Secretary of State at the Lords Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee on 12 March 2024.


Written Question
Artificial Intelligence: Migrant Workers
Monday 11th March 2024

Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)

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 press release entitled Britain to be made AI match-fit with £118 million skills package, published on 31 October 2023, what progress she has made on the creation of a new dedicated visa scheme for the world’s most talented AI researchers to come to the UK on internships and placements, early in their careers.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government has invested over £290m in AI skills and talent initiatives as we’re committed to building a sustainable pipeline of skilled workers in the UK. My Department has been working closely with the Home Office on developing a new dedicated visa scheme for the world’s most talented AI researchers to come to the UK on internships and placements, early in their careers, to encourage them to build their careers, ideas and businesses here.

This will further strengthen the UK’s generous and points-based immigration system, which enables talented international researchers to come to the UK through a number of visa routes, including the approved Temporary Worker Government Authorised Exchange schemes for individuals interested in short-term internships, training and work experience.


Written Question
Small Businesses: Digital Technology
Thursday 7th March 2024

Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to paragraph 5.148 of the Autumn Statement 2023, what recent progress her Department has made on establishing a taskforce with industry to help support SMEs to adopt digital technology.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade is currently setting up an industry-led taskforce to rapidly explore how best to support SMEs to adopt digital technology. Progress is being made on the remit, Chair and membership of the taskforce and we will be launching the taskforce shortly