Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to improve media literacy.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government is taking a cross‑government approach to improving media literacy, as set out in ‘A Safe, Informed Digital Nation’, published on 16 March.

This includes strengthening coordination across policy areas and working with civil society and industry to help people build the skills, confidence and critical thinking needed to navigate the online world safely and effectively.

This includes initiatives such as the ‘You Won’t Know Until You Ask’ campaign, which encourages people to pause and question online content, alongside trusted guidance on the new Kids Online Safety Hub and funding innovative projects through the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to ensure that the Information Commissioner's Office is adequately resourced to carry out digital age enforcement cases against tech companies.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government increased the data protection fee in 2025 to provide the ICO with the necessary resources to carry out its functions effectively. As an independent regulator it is at the discretion of the Commissioner how he chooses to use this funding to effectively enforce the digital age of consent under UK GDPR. To fulfil these responsibilities and respond to rising public and business demand, the ICO has hired additional specialist capacity.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions has she had with Ofcom and the Information Commissioner's Office on the adequacy of protections relating to (a) generative AI and (b) chatbots in the Online Safety Act 2023.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Following public consultation, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) issued and updated guidance on how data protection law applies to generative AI. The Government supports the ICO’s role in providing guidance to organisations to help their compliance.

While some AI chatbots are covered by the Online Safety Act, this Government is determined to close loopholes and has tabled an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill to protect users from illegal content on chatbots.

The Department will continue to meet regularly with Ofcom, the ICO and industry, to address emerging risks and uphold strong online safety protections.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of future energy requirements for AI; and what steps he is taking to meet those requirements.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department’s energy and emissions projections include growth in power demand from computing services like data centres. To ensure a comprehensive view of the system, the methodology projects at a broader sector level, not disaggregating specific estimates for data centres.

The Government is committed to ensuring electricity networks can meet rising electricity demand, including from data centres, by deploying new renewable and low-carbon generation in line with the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan. The Capacity Market ensures supply continuously meets demand, balancing cost and reliability to maintain adequate electricity security.

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 suitability of (a) live location sharing and (b) addictive content features such as autopay for social media apps used by children.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Online Safety Act requires services to mitigate and manage risks to children from online features and functionalities. Ofcom recommends in its Codes of Practice that services with specific risks should turn off live location sharing for children as default. Services must also consider how specific features and functionalities, such as autoplay, can increase children’s exposure to illegal or harmful content and mitigate these risks.

Additionally, our landmark consultation launched earlier this month seeks views on whether the government should further restrict risky functionalities such as location sharing, and ‘addictive’ functionalities including autoplay, to further protect children online.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to ensure that Ofcom is adequately resourced to (a) monitor and (b) regulate the algorithms of online platforms.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Ofcom’s online safety budget and expert team ensure its duties are performed effectively. Ofcom has spent approximately £281.3 million on online safety since 2020, including a projected spend of £92 million for 2025/26.

As part of its information gathering powers, Ofcom can remotely view information about a service’s processes, including conducting tests of algorithmic systems. Ofcom also has the power to seek information from categorised services about the design and operation of their algorithms in annual transparency reports.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, from what date the National Institute of Clinical Excellence will be authorised to apply an increased cost-effectiveness threshold of £25,000 - £35,000 per quality-adjusted life year.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government intends to direct the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to apply the new cost-effectiveness threshold increase from April.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the completeness and consistency of data recorded on people diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in NHS trusts.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Through the National Disease Registration Service’s Get Data Out programme, we will expand the data available to the public and researchers by publishing increased information on incidence, routes to diagnosis, treatments, and survival. We will use the Get Data Out programme to make data on rare cancers more granular, extending the publication of regular data to more individual rare and less common cancers by 2027. We will define and count recurrent cancers, starting with metastatic breast cancer. We will increase specificity of data to help us understand where interventions are needed, and how to make those interventions as effective as possible.

Through these National Cancer Plan actions, we will ensure that every person with secondary breast cancer has faster diagnosis and treatment, access to the latest treatments and technology, and high-quality support throughout their journey, while we work to drive up this country’s cancer survival rates.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Cancer Plan, what progress his Department has made on defining and counting recurrent breast cancers.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Through the National Disease Registration Service’s Get Data Out programme, we will expand the data available to the public and researchers by publishing increased information on incidence, routes to diagnosis, treatments, and survival. We will use the Get Data Out programme to make data on rare cancers more granular, extending the publication of regular data to more individual rare and less common cancers by 2027. We will define and count recurrent cancers, starting with metastatic breast cancer. We will increase specificity of data to help us understand where interventions are needed, and how to make those interventions as effective as possible.

Through these National Cancer Plan actions, we will ensure that every person with secondary breast cancer has faster diagnosis and treatment, access to the latest treatments and technology, and high-quality support throughout their journey, while we work to drive up this country’s cancer survival rates.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his department has assessed the extent to which water companies, as statutory undertakers with statutory monopolies, will fall within the scope of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The legal framework for the provision of water and sewage services varies significantly across the UK. In England and Wales, services are delivered by private companies (including not-for-profit organisations), whilst in Scotland and Northern Ireland services are delivered by publicly owned companies. The Bill is drafted so that the duty of candour and offence of misleading the public apply to all water companies when they exercise public functions. The Code of Conduct provisions would apply to the publicly owned water companies in Scotland and Northern Ireland and their workers, but not private companies in England and Wales.

In relation to the Misconduct in Public Office offences at Part 3 of the Bill, Schedule 4 sets out a definitive list of roles which make someone a “public office holder” for the purposes of these offences. Most roles are listed specifically in the Schedule, paragraph 22 is more general. It captures “Other public bodies and offices” who fulfil three criteria: (a) the body or office is established by statute, a Minister, government department, or under the Royal Prerogative; (b) appointments to the office are made by the Crown, a Minister, or government department, or (in the case of a body) appointments to the body are wholly or mainly made in that way; and (c) in that office or body they are exercising functions of a public nature.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her department has had with Ofwat, the Environment Agency, and Natural England regarding the application of the duty of candour to water companies in relation to the duties and offences in the Public Office (Accountability) Bill.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government set out its new vision for water through a White Paper published on 20 January 2026.

To truly turn around the water sector we need the right people in to do the job. We want the sector to be attractive to high quality senior leaders, acting in the public interest, who can lead change from the top.

To achieve this, the Government committed in the White Paper to consider taking forward a new regime for senior accountability. This would be carefully designed to ensure senior leaders are directly accountable for the service customers receive, whilst still allowing water companies to appoint capable leadership.

Celebrating the Berin Centre and community engagement in Berinsfield

Right to peaceful protest and freedom of assembly

Supporting UK hauliers and reducing border friction through UK–EU cooperation

Impact of the Iran war on transport costs

Meta and YouTube and legal liability for addictive design and online harms

NHS maternity services

Access to GP appointments

International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance

Support for hospitality businesses

GP access

UK defence bonds

MS Awareness Week 2026

MS Awareness Week 2026 (No. 2)

Victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack

Funding for rural Britain

Windermere

Student finance system reform

Conflict in Lebanon

New Special Educational Needs and Disabilities provision in Wokingham

NHS funding for mental health services

St Neots Walk and Talk 4 Men 5th anniversary

Outdoor learning specialist apprenticeships

Water sector reform

Online abuse and exploitation of Ukrainian refugees

Visa concessions for sheep shearers (No. 2)

Waste crime

Heating oil financial support

Rural postal services

Closure of Gould’s Butchers in Martock

Royal Mail's performance

King's Guard's ceremonial bearskin caps

Situation in Iran

Found: Q10 Freddie van Mierlo: I want to continue the Chair’s line of questioning for a moment.

Exposure to digital technologies is an everyday experience for children, in how they play, learn, and connect with their families, friends and wider society. This exposure results in a complex picture of benefits and risks related to children’s physical and cognitive development and physical and mental health. There is a lot of data about device use and online habits but how the use of a wide range of digital devices affects development in childhood and adolescence is less clear.

Submit Evidence (by 14 May 2026)

AI model sizes and data volumes are growing significantly. At the same time, areas like quantum computing and protein synthesis also require increasing amounts of computational power.