Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the role of generative AI chatbots in facilitating access to unlicensed gambling operators.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
AI chatbots covered by the Online Safety Act must protect all users from illegal content. We work with a wide range of stakeholders including technology companies to ensure these rules keep pace with technology and will not hesitate to go further if there is evidence to do so.
More broadly, the Government is committed to tackling illegal gambling through the Illegal Gambling Taskforce. We will therefore consider examples of chatbots promoting illegal sites to children, in conjunction with other issues, when deciding on the best next steps to increase protections against illegal gambling.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with technology companies on tackling AI-generated guidance on circumventing gambling regulation.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
AI chatbots covered by the Online Safety Act must protect all users from illegal content. We work with a wide range of stakeholders including technology companies to ensure these rules keep pace with technology and will not hesitate to go further if there is evidence to do so.
More broadly, the Government is committed to tackling illegal gambling through the Illegal Gambling Taskforce. We will therefore consider examples of chatbots promoting illegal sites to children, in conjunction with other issues, when deciding on the best next steps to increase protections against illegal gambling.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to prevent children from being targeted with online gambling advertisements during the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) advertising codes require all gambling operators to take all reasonable steps to ensure that children are not targeted by gambling advertisements. This includes a requirement for all operators to ensure that targeting is used responsibly, through utilising tools available on platforms to exclude under-18s from exposure wherever possible.
In 2025 the ASA strengthened its guidance to ensure that personalities or influencers with social media followings totalling at least 100,000 under-18s, across all platforms, are unable to advertise gambling.
The Government continues to work with a wide range of stakeholders to increase protections online. This includes ongoing work to tackle the illegal market.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made representations to her Cuban counterpart on (a) the detention of Jonathan Muir Burgos and (b) the Christian community in the last 12 months.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 8 June in response to Question 5332.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of a delay in the implementation of reforms to the UK Emissions Trading Scheme treatment of Sustainable Aviation Fuel on sustainable aviation fuel producers.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK ETS Authority is consulting on the future treatment of SAF in the UK ETS, with this work progressing as planned. The Government recognises the importance of a cohesive SAF policy landscape across both demand and supply sides of the UK SAF market, including for SAF producers.
Any changes to the UK ETS treatment of SAF will take this, and consultation responses, into account. With the UK and EU in negotiations in pursuit of linking the UK ETS and EU ETS, the Authority will also need to consider any implications of ETS linking once negotiations have concluded.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to bring forward the timetable for recognising emissions reductions associated with Sustainable Aviation Fuel under the UK Emissions Trading Scheme.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK ETS already allows aircraft operators to recognise emissions reductions from eligible SAF when meeting their allowance surrender obligations, in line with existing legislative requirements, including the annual reporting deadline of 31 March.
The UK ETS Authority is consulting on the future treatment of SAF in the UK ETS. Any changes would be informed by consultation responses and set out in a consultation response. With the UK and EU in negotiations in pursuit of linking the UK ETS and EU ETS, the Authority will also need to consider any implications of ETS linking once negotiations have concluded.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Cultural and Educational Programs on UK soft power in Ireland.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Joint Statement between the Prime Minister and Taoiseach Micheál Martin following the UK-Ireland summit in Cork this March includes a range of cultural and educational initiatives that will enhance the already rich cooperation between our countries in both these fields. In particular, the first Ireland-UK Youth Forum, the next meeting of which will be hosted by the UK in 2027.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of British Council programs in Northern Ireland on that country; and whether she plans to support the continuation of those programs.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The British Council plays a crucial role supporting the UK's interests around the world, including in Northern Ireland, supported by its work in education, arts and culture, and promoting the English language. The British Council is operationally independent from the UK Government.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of UK (a) bilateral and (b) multilateral assistance to Pakistan on (i) improvements in freedom of religion or belief and (ii) protection of minority communities.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all in Pakistan, and we regularly raise the rights and safety of religious minorities with the Government of Pakistan at the highest levels. UK assistance to Pakistan is delivered through trusted partners, subject to due diligence and regularly reviewed; it supports work that promotes interfaith dialogue and tackles online hate speech, helping protect vulnerable minority communities. We will continue to urge Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people in accordance with international standards.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support his Department is providing to UK companies exporting defence technologies to Ukraine to help them leverage battlefield-tested innovations for wider international markets.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.