Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of risks to (1) client confidentiality, (2) data protection, and (3) professional standards, arising from the reported use of artificial intelligence tools by legal professionals to process client documents.

The regulation and oversight of legal professionals is a matter for the independent legal services regulators, who are responsible for ensuring that regulated professionals and firms continue to meet their professional and ethical obligations, regardless of the technologies they use. Legal professionals must ensure that any use of AI complies with existing duties relating to confidentiality, data protection, competence and the proper administration of justice. Where professionals breach those duties, or are suspected of misconduct, regulators have the powers to investigate and take disciplinary action where appropriate.

While some legal technology providers are not directly regulated, many adopt voluntary safeguards such as ethical frameworks, quality standards and industry best practice to support the responsible use of AI. These tools, and the organisations using them, must comply with existing data protection, consumer protection and competition law requirements.

The Government is backing the safe and responsible adoption of AI across the legal services sector by:

• Working closely with regulators through ministerial engagement, bilateral discussions and collaborative policymaking to support innovation while upholding robust professional and consumer protection.

• Continuing investment in LawtechUK, including a further £4.5 million commitment through to 2029, to drive responsible innovation across the sector.

• Supporting efforts to strengthen legal certainty and public confidence in AI, including initiatives such as the UK Jurisdiction Taskforce’s legal statement on AI liability.