Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to Q808 of the oral evidence given by the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology to the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee on 13 December 2023, HC 38, whether he has plans to undertake a review of electoral regulation.

The Electoral Commission does not have a role in regulating the use of artificial intelligence in campaigning nor does it have a role in regulating political debate. The AI Regulation White Paper, published in March 2023, set out our first steps towards establishing a regulatory framework for AI. Since then, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology have been setting up central risk assessment and monitoring activities and working with regulators to ensure they are responding to AI risks within their remits.

Digitally manipulated content can pose a severe threat to democratic processes, so we take this very seriously. We are working extensively across Government and in the Defending Democracy Taskforce to ensure we are ready to respond to any threats to our democratic processes. The Government keeps the regulatory framework under review and remains committed to ensuring elections are secure and fit for the modern age.