Artificial Intelligence Tools: Schools

Baroness Barran Excerpts

Monday 26th October 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

We have already updated the standards that apply to those tools, but my noble friend makes the important point that a fast-moving market, as that for edtech is, needs more than that. That is precisely why we want to consult on certificating products, so that it can be much clearer to schools, at any given time, which products are certificated. That certification would also take into consideration both data protection and safeguarding issues.

[Baroness Barran (Con)]

My Lords, the Minister mentioned that the Government plan to consult on the certification of edtech and generative AI products. Can she give us a timetable for that consultation? Similarly, the Government announced that there would be sovereign education benchmarks, but no timetable that I am aware of has been announced. Can she confirm that AI products used in education will be independently assessed against those benchmarks?

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

We intend to launch the consultation and certification framework very soon—this autumn. I will come back to the noble Baroness about the AI sovereign benchmarks. I understand that they are already operationalised, but I will respond specifically respond to that point.