Procedural Flexibility: Scrutiny of AI and Emerging Technology

Lord Nagaraju Excerpts

Thursday 22nd October 2026 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Nagaraju]

To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what consideration the Procedure and Privileges Committee has given to introducing greater procedural flexibility to ensure that the House is able to undertake effective scrutiny of significant and fast-moving policy areas, such as AI and emerging technology.

[Lord Nagaraju (Lab)]

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper. In doing so, I draw attention to my AI and digital interests set out in the register.

[The Senior Deputy Speaker (Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede)]

My Lords, our procedures allow flexibility, including topical Oral Questions, Private Notice Questions and Questions for Written Answer. The Government also offer regular statements, and Urgent Questions asked in the House of Commons are often repeated in your Lordships’ House. The noble Lord himself has used a number of these avenues to raise matters related to AI. The Procedure and Privileges Committee has not discussed scrutiny of AI and emerging technology. However, it is open to considering any proposals.

[Lord Nagaraju (Lab)]

My Lords, September brought UN findings, the Prime Minister’s G20 AI pledge, international warnings and an AI agent breaching Australia’s Medicare statistics portal days apart. My balloted options were weeks away. Taking up the committee’s invitation for proposals, will the Senior Deputy Speaker help the UK set the global standard for parliamentary scrutiny of AI by proposing at its next meeting a pilot for one sitting term to have a protected weekly AI session of up to 30 minutes with cross-government updates and questions on opportunities, risks and delivery on commitments?

[The Senior Deputy Speaker]

I will ensure that this proposal is drawn to the attention of the Procedure and Privileges Committee. As noble Lords will be aware, the Committee needs to balance a range of demands on the House’s time, and any proposal for dedicated scrutiny arrangements on one policy topic must be considered against other important policy areas. Artificial intelligence is clearly of great importance. Noble Lords will have an opportunity to debate one aspect of this issue—the impact of AI on children—later today during the debate in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Patel.