Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that non-deterministic outputs from AI tools used in (a) diagnostics and (b) treatment planning can be (i) explained and (ii) validated.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In the United Kingdom, the majority of artificial intelligence (AI) products being used in health and social care are regulated as medical devices. This means they are subject to stringent safety, performance, and efficacy requirements, primarily set out in the Medical Devices Regulations 2002, with robust monitoring by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulation Agency. These requirements also apply to non-deterministic AI systems that are medical devices used in the National Health Service, such as large language models.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), an arms-length body of the Department, makes recommendations on the safety and cost-effectiveness of products for health and social care services in England. NICE routinely evaluates medical technologies, including innovative AI-enabled technologies, which are assessed in NICE’s Early Value Assessment programme, for those technologies that are most needed and in-demand.
NHS England is also developing guidance for those adopting or considering adopting AI technologies, which is expected to support the safe uptake of these technologies and alleviate concerns that clinicians currently have when buying and using these technologies.
Although many generative AI systems need minimal intervention from users, clinicians still need to review and approve the text which has been produced. AI tools are to be used to support clinicians with their own decision making, rather than to make decisions on the clinicians’ behalf. AI augments, rather than replaces, human expertise.
To ensure that clinicians understand the tools they are working with, we have developed tailored guidance for users and regulators. Through public dialogue, we’ve involved patients and the public in deciding how and why access to health data should be granted for AI research and development. In addition, to bridge the gap between policy and practice we have launched the AI Ambassador Network, which currently has 5,000 members.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to consult (a) businesses, (b) trade unions, (c) investors and (d) civil society organisations on the principle of moving from shareholder primacy to stakeholder primacy.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 requires company directors to have regard in their decision-making to the interests of their employees and to the impact of the company's operations on the community and the environment. All large companies must report annually on how their directors have fulfilled this duty. Section 172 enshrines in statute the "enlightened shareholder value" principle, which recognises that the long-term success of a company depends in part on the ongoing consideration of wider stakeholder interests. This contrasts with the "shareholder maximisation" principle underpinning directors' duties in some other jurisdictions, in which directors owe their duty only to shareholders.
The Government welcomes suggestions on how to ensure companies consider wider stakeholder interests alongside the needs of stakeholders. I look forward to considering the clauses of the Company Directors (Duties) Bill when available.
I would be pleased to meet with the Honourable Member for Newton Abbot to discuss his Private Member's Bill.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to support reform in corporate governance from shareholder primacy towards stakeholder primacy.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 requires company directors to have regard in their decision-making to the interests of their employees and to the impact of the company's operations on the community and the environment. All large companies must report annually on how their directors have fulfilled this duty. Section 172 enshrines in statute the "enlightened shareholder value" principle, which recognises that the long-term success of a company depends in part on the ongoing consideration of wider stakeholder interests. This contrasts with the "shareholder maximisation" principle underpinning directors' duties in some other jurisdictions, in which directors owe their duty only to shareholders.
The Government welcomes suggestions on how to ensure companies consider wider stakeholder interests alongside the needs of stakeholders. I look forward to considering the clauses of the Company Directors (Duties) Bill when available.
I would be pleased to meet with the Honourable Member for Newton Abbot to discuss his Private Member's Bill.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to reduce the number of empty and abandoned homes in Devon.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government wants to see more empty homes brought back into use across the country, including in Devon.
Local authorities have strong powers and incentives to tackle empty homes. They have the discretionary powers to charge additional council tax on properties which have been left unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for one or more years. The maximum premium that a council can apply increases, depending on the length of time that the property has been empty for, with a premium of up to 300% on homes left empty for over ten years.
Local authorities can also use powers to take over the management of long-term empty homes to bring them back into use in the private rented sector. Local authorities can apply for an Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) when a property has been empty for more than two years, subject to the production of evidence that the property has been causing a nuisance to the community and evidence of community support for their proposal. More information can be found on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that (a) patients and (b) clinicians are able to (i) understand and (ii) challenge decisions made by non-deterministic AI systems.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In the United Kingdom, the majority of artificial intelligence (AI) products being used in health and social care are regulated as medical devices. This means they are subject to stringent safety, performance, and efficacy requirements, primarily set out in the Medical Devices Regulations 2002, with robust monitoring by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulation Agency. These requirements also apply to non-deterministic AI systems that are medical devices used in the National Health Service, such as large language models.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), an arms-length body of the Department, makes recommendations on the safety and cost-effectiveness of products for health and social care services in England. NICE routinely evaluates medical technologies, including innovative AI-enabled technologies, which are assessed in NICE’s Early Value Assessment programme, for those technologies that are most needed and in-demand.
NHS England is also developing guidance for those adopting or considering adopting AI technologies, which is expected to support the safe uptake of these technologies and alleviate concerns that clinicians currently have when buying and using these technologies.
Although many generative AI systems need minimal intervention from users, clinicians still need to review and approve the text which has been produced. AI tools are to be used to support clinicians with their own decision making, rather than to make decisions on the clinicians’ behalf. AI augments, rather than replaces, human expertise.
To ensure that clinicians understand the tools they are working with, we have developed tailored guidance for users and regulators. Through public dialogue, we’ve involved patients and the public in deciding how and why access to health data should be granted for AI research and development. In addition, to bridge the gap between policy and practice we have launched the AI Ambassador Network, which currently has 5,000 members.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question 52067 on Power Failures, whether the contingency plans include protection from cyber attacks.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government takes the security of Great Britain’s energy infrastructure extremely seriously and works closely with industry to continually improve and strengthen cyber security resilience. The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill being introduced this summer will further strengthen cyber security standards for all sectors, including energy. Additionally, industry have well-developed cyber security plans to minimise the risk of disruption and to respond to any emerging issue.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to ensure local authorities are able to require standards in excess of legal minimums as conditions for planning approval.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Planning conditions attached to the grant of planning permission can be used to require development to meet certain standards.
However, as the National Planning Policy Framework states, such conditions should only be imposed where they are necessary, relevant to planning and to the development to be permitted, enforceable, precise and reasonable in all other respects. They should also not duplicate the role of other regulatory regimes.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will amend section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 to require company directors to balance the duty to promote the success of the company with duties to (a) employees and (b) the environment.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 requires company directors to have regard in their decision-making to the interests of their employees and to the impact of the company's operations on the community and the environment. All large companies must report annually on how their directors have fulfilled this duty. Section 172 enshrines in statute the "enlightened shareholder value" principle, which recognises that the long-term success of a company depends in part on the ongoing consideration of wider stakeholder interests. This contrasts with the "shareholder maximisation" principle underpinning directors' duties in some other jurisdictions, in which directors owe their duty only to shareholders.
The Government welcomes suggestions on how to ensure companies consider wider stakeholder interests alongside the needs of stakeholders. I look forward to considering the clauses of the Company Directors (Duties) Bill when available.
I would be pleased to meet with the Honourable Member for Newton Abbot to discuss his Private Member's Bill.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will meet with (a) the hon. Member for Newton Abbot and (b) members of the business community to discuss expanding the duties of company directors.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 requires company directors to have regard in their decision-making to the interests of their employees and to the impact of the company's operations on the community and the environment. All large companies must report annually on how their directors have fulfilled this duty. Section 172 enshrines in statute the "enlightened shareholder value" principle, which recognises that the long-term success of a company depends in part on the ongoing consideration of wider stakeholder interests. This contrasts with the "shareholder maximisation" principle underpinning directors' duties in some other jurisdictions, in which directors owe their duty only to shareholders.
The Government welcomes suggestions on how to ensure companies consider wider stakeholder interests alongside the needs of stakeholders. I look forward to considering the clauses of the Company Directors (Duties) Bill when available.
I would be pleased to meet with the Honourable Member for Newton Abbot to discuss his Private Member's Bill.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will support the (a) passage and (b) principle of the Company Directors (Duties) Bill.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 requires company directors to have regard in their decision-making to the interests of their employees and to the impact of the company's operations on the community and the environment. All large companies must report annually on how their directors have fulfilled this duty. Section 172 enshrines in statute the "enlightened shareholder value" principle, which recognises that the long-term success of a company depends in part on the ongoing consideration of wider stakeholder interests. This contrasts with the "shareholder maximisation" principle underpinning directors' duties in some other jurisdictions, in which directors owe their duty only to shareholders.
The Government welcomes suggestions on how to ensure companies consider wider stakeholder interests alongside the needs of stakeholders. I look forward to considering the clauses of the Company Directors (Duties) Bill when available.
I would be pleased to meet with the Honourable Member for Newton Abbot to discuss his Private Member's Bill.