Asked by: Lincoln Jopp (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement with the EU on Scotland's fishing sector.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
The UK Government remains steadfast in our commitment to maintaining world-leading food safety and animal health standards. All food and drink products imported into the UK must comply with our regulatory standards.
But we want to limit red tape for our exporters as much as possible. As my Right Honourable Friend the Chancellor advised the House on 24 March, we aim to conclude negotiations with the EU this year on the sanitary and phytosanitary agreement. This will positively impact food prices in our shops and make it easier to trade with our biggest market. This is good news for Scottish exporters in seafood and many other sectors.
Asked by: Lincoln Jopp (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many AI-related MOUs, strategic partnerships and service agreements have been signed by government departments since July 2024.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
A total of 26 AI‑related MOUs, strategic partnerships, and service agreements have been signed by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology since July 2024.
Asked by: Lincoln Jopp (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve research and innovation in the defence sector.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Strategic Defence Review and Industrial Strategy were clear. Innovation is central to deterrence and decisive factors in war.
DSIT is working closely with the Ministry of Defence to implement the Defence Industrial Strategy. UKRI are delivering £550m into the Defence and National Security sector.
We are partnering with MOD as they commit at least 10% of their equipment budget on novel technologies. Ensuring cutting-edge UK research and innovation delivers for defence.
Asked by: Lincoln Jopp (Conservative - Spelthorne)
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 implications of the US CLOUD Act for UK government data held on infrastructure provided by (a) Microsoft, (b) Google Cloud and (c) Amazon Web Services under agreements entered into since July 2024.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT has not made any central assessments of the US CLOUD Act and the implications for UK government data.
Under UK data protection laws, UK organisations, including UK Government, must ensure personal data is appropriately protected when transferred internationally.
The UK has an adequacy decision for certain transfers to the US under the UK Extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which included an assessment of US government access laws and practices, such as the US CLOUD Act. Where adequacy is not relied upon, organisations must use alternative safeguards, such as standard contractual clauses, in accordance with Article 46 of the UK GDPR.
Asked by: Lincoln Jopp (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether specific, measurable deliverables have been agreed with (a) Anthropic, (b) OpenAI and (c) Google DeepMind under the Memoranda of Understanding signed since February 2025.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government has signed Memoranda of Understanding with these companies to support industry cooperation. You can read the full details of these agreements on the GOV.UK website for each company: Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google DeepMind.
The Government is already working with these firms to deliver on UK objectives. For example, Anthropic are developing an AI assistant to transform GOV.UK services, and OpenAI are collaborating with the Ministry of Justice to support businesses with AI innovation.
Our AI Security Institute also collaborates closely with these companies to research the serious risks that advanced AI could pose. Through this collaboration, the Institute helps to identify vulnerabilities in developers' models; both OpenAI and Anthropic have addressed dozens of such issues before releasing their models.
Asked by: Lincoln Jopp (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many meetings Ministers and senior officials have held with representatives of (a) Anthropic, (b) OpenAI, (c) Google, (d) Microsoft, (e) Meta and (f) Palantir since July 2024.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The full details of Ministerial and senior civil servant-level meetings will be published publicly in quarterly transparency returns.
Asked by: Lincoln Jopp (Conservative - Spelthorne)
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 GOV.UK AI assistant pilot developed with Anthropic on (a) user satisfaction, (b) call centre volumes, and (c) accuracy of information provided to citizens.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The pilot of the GOV.UK AI assistant is currently being undertaken by GDS and will be concluding soon. We will then evaluate the concept to inform future development of the concept.
At this stage, the pilot is about learning and understanding the potential value of the technology for citizens in helping them get through complex life events. We will be considering accuracy and value as part of the final reporting on this pilot.
Asked by: Lincoln Jopp (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the level of regulation of rented homes on landlords.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government has already published impact assessments in respect of the Renters’ Rights Act; higher Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for the private rented sector; and the extension of our updated Decent Homes Standard to it.
Asked by: Lincoln Jopp (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2025 to Question 93579 on Asylum: Spelthorne, if she will set out how the Asylum Accommodation Plans take into account the number of asylum seekers accommodated in hotels when determining the balance of the distribution of asylum seekers across local authorities across the UK.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Asylum Accommodation Plans ensure a fair and balanced distribution of asylum seekers across local authorities by considering existing accommodation pressures. Dispersal accommodation aims to replace hotels, using an evidence-based model, supported by local authority engagement and strategic planning.
Asked by: Lincoln Jopp (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many properties in the UK are currently unable to be sold because they are part of probate negotiations.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department does not hold the information requested.