Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the use of public sector procurement in supporting the growth of UK-based AI companies, and (2) the impact of that procurement on the development of domestic technology capabilities.

As outlined in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, this Government is committed to supporting growth of the UK AI sector. This commitment is underpinned by the establishment of 5 AI Growth Zones across the UK, which provide the sovereign processing power and the required energy security for homegrown firms to scale and secure our national digital resilience.

Furthermore, the Government will publish new guidance for central government organisations procuring from the AI, steel, shipbuilding and energy infrastructure sectors regarding the appropriate use of national security exemptions. This will help to ensure we maintain sovereign supply chain resilience when it is a critical factor in supporting national security.