Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on the potential impact of the take-up of AI on adult education requirements.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Ministers in DSIT and DfE are working closely together to ensure adult education keeps pace with the rapid take-up of AI.
As AI is increasingly adopted across the workplace, this will create a high demand for workers to have the skills to deploy AI. This will require adult education and upskilling to evolve for the AI age, which is why we’re jointly reviewing AI skills needs, expanding lifelong learning, and rolling out new scholarships and traineeships so adults can upskill and reskill for the jobs AI is creating.
DSIT has also formed a partnership with 11 major technology companies and leading UK businesses to upskill 7.5 million workers in AI by 2030. This will ensure that UK workers benefit from the transformational impact AI will have in the workplace, including those working for small businesses and in all parts of the country.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of new technologies on the need for animal testing.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government’s strategy to support replacing animals in science covers an assessment of the potential impact of new technologies and sets out our long-term vision for a world where the use of animals in science is eliminated in all but exceptional circumstances, achieved by creating a research and innovation system that drives the development and validation of alternative methods and technologies to using animals in science. We will publish biennially a list of alternative-methods research and development priorities, coalescing UK scientists around these areas and incentivising partnerships between research organisations, CROs and industry.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the take-up of AI on unemployment.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We know that AI is transforming workplaces, demanding new skills and augmenting old ones, but its future scale remains uncertain. Government is planning against a range of plausible outcomes and monitoring data closely. Our goal is to ensure access to good, meaningful work while harnessing AI’s benefits to boost growth, productivity, living standards and worker wellbeing, and mitigate risks.
The Get Britain Working White Paper outlines how government will address labour market challenges and spread opportunity and economic prosperity that AI presents to the British public. We are also supporting workforce readiness through providing streamlined access to digital training through the AI Skills Hub and partnering with 11 major companies to train 7.5 million UK workers in essential AI skills by 2030.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press release entitled People across UK to benefit from easier access to local services as councils get digital boost, published on 22 November 2025, what proportion of GDS Local’s work will be with County and District Councils in a) 2025-26, b) 2026-27 and c) 2027-28.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
GDS Local is a new unit within the Government Digital Service that brings central and local government together to improve how digital public services are designed and delivered.
GDS Local has a mandate to support all councils and local authorities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, including County and District Councils. It is currently developing its strategic objectives and delivery plans to ensure people across the UK benefit from easier access to local services, including supporting the ambitions in the Blueprint for Modern Digital Government.
At this time, no specific proportion of work has been allocated to County and District Councils for future financial years, as the unit intends to take a whole-system approach to supporting local government across the UK. This includes working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Local Government Association to support County and District Councils going through Local Government Reorganisation.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many visas a) his Department, b) the Information Commissioners Office, c) the Intellectual Property Office, d) the Met Office, e) the UK Space Agency, f) the Advanced Research and Invention Agency, g) UK Research and Innovation, h) Ordnance Survey and i) Ofcom have sponsored since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The requested data is not held centrally in a reportable format.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of (a) consultations and (b) reviews conducted by her Department since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT undertakes a range of reviews, consultations, and wider public engagement to inform effective decision-making and delivery. These costs of these are not separately recorded in a way that would enable us to provide the estimate requested.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the impact of the High-Risk Building regime on the Government’s target of achieving 99% gigabit-capable broadband coverage by 2032; and what discussions her Department has had with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government on this issue.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Building and fire safety, including the Higher-Risk Building regulatory framework, is the responsibility of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
The department continues to work closely with MHCLG to assess and mitigate delays experienced by the telecoms sector, including those faced by fixed network operators, as a result of the higher-risk building safety regime.
We remain committed to removing barriers to the deployment of digital infrastructure and to delivering 99% gigabit-capable coverage by 2032.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make an estimate of the redundancy costs for the decision to close the UK Space Agency.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
UK Space Agency employees will move Department under the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice on Staff Transfers in the Public Sector (COSOP), either into DSIT or our service providers. The integration brings together teams already working closely, creating a single unit with a clear line from strategy through policy to delivery. This approach, completing by April 2026, will strengthen our space sector support whilst building on the firm foundations both organisations have established, including developing cutting-edge missions and attracting significant investment.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will publish an impact assessment on the decision to close the UK Space Agency.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The UK Space Agency is not closing – it is being brought together with DSIT's Space Directorate to create a more efficient, integrated approach to delivering our space ambitions. This change, part of our Plan for Change to cut red tape and make Whitehall more agile, will reduce duplication and strengthen ministerial oversight.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the reported 95% coverage achieved by the Shared Rural Network will be reviewed using Ofcom’s forthcoming reporting methodology based on a 5 Mbps threshold.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
I refer the hon. Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted, to the answer of 25 July 2025 to Question 68570: Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament