Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department has taken to assess and mitigate risks of (a) bias and (b) discrimination arising from the use of automated decision-making systems.

The Department does not currently use tools, products or processes that rely on automated decision making.

Our AI Governance process assesses all AI-related use cases for potential bias and discrimination. Where risks are identified, additional governance and assurance activities are required before approval is granted.

The UK’s data protection framework is underpinned by principles of lawfulness, fairness, transparency and accountability. The Government commissioned ICO guidance has been published on automated decision-making, profiling and artificial intelligence to support organisations in complying with their obligations. If the department makes use of ADM then it will fully comply with legal requirements and associated guidance.