Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to tackle deepfakes online.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Online Safety Act requires services to tackle illegal content and protect children from harmful content, including where it is AI generated ‘deepfakes’.
Building on this, the offence of creating intimate images without consent, including using AI, will come into effect in the coming weeks and this will be made a priority offence under the Act, giving users the strongest protections from such content. We are also criminalising nudification apps – making it illegal for companies to supply such tools.
We are also running Deepfake Detection Challenge 2026 a programme aimed at strengthening capabilities to detect and mitigate synthetic media threats.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 protect victims of AI deepfakes.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Online Safety Act requires in-scope services to tackle illegal content and protect children from harmful content, including where it is AI generated. Ofcom has robust enforcement powers for non-compliance.
In the coming weeks, the offence of creating intimate images without consent, including using AI, will come into effect. The Secretary of State announced it will be made a priority offence under the Act, giving users the strongest protections from such content. In addition, the Government has announced that it will criminalise nudification apps – which will make it illegal for companies to supply tools designed to create non-consensual intimate images.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to protect women and girls online.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Tackling violence against women and girls in all its forms, including online, is a top priority for this government.
Under the Online Safety Act, platforms must proactively tackle illegal content, much of which disproportionately affects women and girls, including harassment, stalking and intimate image abuse. Services are also required to protect children from illegal and harmful content, including abusive and hateful misogyny and pornography.
On 25 November 2025, Ofcom published industry guidance on making platforms safer for women and girls. We expect companies to introduce these recommended measures without delay.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 expand skills and ethical training in AI.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is taking significant steps to expand skills and ethical training in AI.
Last year, we 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 right across the country by ensuring they have access to high quality skills provision, free at the point of use. This will cover a range of skills, including responsible and ethical use of AI.
Last year we also launched the AI Skills Hub – an online learning platform where learners can access training courses on a range of topics ranging from foundational AI literacy to ethics and responsible AI use, to more advanced skills to develop and deploy AI.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what provisions are in place for older people with disabilities and who live in rural communities who may struggle with digital systems.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Everyone should be able to benefit from the digital world — from saving on everyday bills to finding better jobs and accessing vital services like the NHS
Last February we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan, setting out the government's first steps to ensure everyone in the UK – no matter their background – can fully participate in our digital society
Since then, we have launched the £11.9 million Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund with £764,020 in Scotland, £440,368 in Wales and £267,249 in Northern Ireland. Helping more people across the UK get the access, skills and confidence to get online.
The fund is currently supporting 85 community‑led projects across England, designed to support locally delivered, highly tailored and targeted interventions that meet the needs of digitally excluded people, including older and disabled users
We remain committed to ensuring all public services are accessible and inclusive – with published best practice to make sure websites and apps work for everyone, alongside providing alternative routes – like in-person and telephone support – for those that need them.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 support people in improving digital skills.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In February 2025 we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan, which set out the first five actions the Government is taking to boost digital inclusion across the UK. This includes expanding opportunities for digital upskilling and strengthening support for the Essential Digital Skills framework, which helps individuals and employers understand and build the digital skills needed for work and everyday life. As part of the Action Plan, DSIT launched an 11.9m Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund, supporting 85 projects across England, and with funding allocated to devolved governments to support further projects in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Through the Government’s digital entitlement, eligible adults can access fully funded essential digital skills courses and qualifications, supporting people to get online safely and confidently, improve their employability, and access public services. To increase awareness and take-up, DSIT have also launched marketing activity running as part of DfE’s ‘Skills for Life’ campaign, working with partners across the public, private and voluntary sectors.
Alongside this, DSIT is delivering the £187 million TechFirst programme that will support over 4,000 domestic graduates, researchers and innovators and engage 1 million students in digital skills and AI learning. These measures support people at all stages of life to develop the digital skills they need to participate fully in the digital economy and society.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 help tackle online abuse against young people.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Online Safety Act contains robust provisions to protect young people from online abuse.
Under the Online Safety Act, platforms must protect all users from illegal harassment and content and children from harmful content, including hateful and abusive content. These provisions are already in force, and Ofcom has robust enforcement powers for platforms who fail to fulfil their duties.
The Act will also require the largest categorised services to offer adults user empowerment tools to enable them to reduce engagement with abusive content. Ofcom will be consulting on these user empowerment tools this year.
We continually monitor the Act’s impact and effectiveness to ensure all users are protected online.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps are being taken to ensure there are safeguards when facial recognition is being used for children.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The UK’s data protection framework is technology-neutral, with principles such as transparency, accountability and fairness applying to all technologies using personal data. In practice, organisations must be clear with people about how and why their data is being processed, only processing it where there are legitimate grounds to do so, and ensuring that any data held is accurate and up to date.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has published a range of guidance, including the use of biometric recognition technologies, and the use of video surveillance, including facial recognition technology used for children. These require organisations to carry out an impact assessment when processing activities involving technologies such as LFRT are likely to result in a high risk to individuals’ rights and freedoms.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has considered funding industry training programmes on AI.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government recognises the importance of industry adopting AI tools to drive growth and innovation. We recently announced a joint commitment with industry leaders such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Google to upskill 7.5 million workers with the vital AI skills they need to thrive in their jobs. This will break down barriers to opportunity and unlock economic growth.
We also recently announced further commitments to support AI adoption in industry. This includes a pledge to expand Innovate UK’s BridgeAI programme to sectors across our Industrial Strategy priorities, providing hands-on training and online programmes, as well as a £5 million local skills benefits package for each AI Growth Zone, to support local businesses adopt AI.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to raise awareness on the potential risks associated with AI.
Answered by Feryal Clark
We are hugely optimistic about how AI will transform the lives of British people for the better – but advanced AI could lead to serious security risks.
The UK Government has been clear eyed about the risks AI could bring and have been clear on the need to balance these risks, for example via: