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1678134

registered interest
date	14/12/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Power Failures
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether there have been any power cuts on their Department's property in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Sarah Olney
uin	7085
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2023 answer text <p>The Department does not keep an official record of the occurrence of power cuts.</p><p>The Government Property Agency (GPA) is responsible for managing the Department’s office estate, including the provision of utilities and maintenance of the building. The Department’s Estates Team officials work closely with GPA to ensure that any power supply issues that do occur are quickly addressed.</p> answering member constituency Arundel and South Downs answering member printed Andrew Griffith question first answered 20/12/2023 12:08:05 answering member 4874 label Biography information for Andrew Griffith
tabling member	4591 label Biography information for Sarah Olney

1678214

registered interest
date	14/12/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	BGI Group and MGI Tech
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister of State, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, during the debate on Genomics and national security of 8 March 2023, Official Report column 120WH, what steps she is taking to investigate the national security risks associated with (i) BGI Group and (ii) MGI Tech.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	7020
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2023 answer text <p>Organisations which hold sensitive biological data are subject to the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In addition, organisations such as Genomics England, UK Biobank and NIHR BioResource actively consider national security in decision making about partnerships with companies overseas.</p><p>As part of the new UK Biological Security Strategy, the Government is undertaking a programme of work to assess how we can minimise the risks from biological data to protect our burgeoning bioeconomy, without stifling innovation, and build confidence in sharing personal data to improve health outcomes in the UK and across the world. The Office for Life Sciences has begun this work, in consultation with relevant Departments and Agencies across Government, and key partners such as Genomics England and UK Biobank.</p> answering member constituency Arundel and South Downs answering member printed Andrew Griffith question first answered 19/12/2023 16:50:21 answering member 4874 label Biography information for Andrew Griffith
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

1678257

registered interest
date	14/12/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Broadband: Rural Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to improve rural connectivity.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Dr Kieran Mullan
uin	7150
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2023 answer text <p>The Government is committed to improve digital connectivity in rural areas. Project Gigabit is the Government’s £5 billion programme to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to rural and hard-to-reach communities across the UK. Alongside suppliers’ commercial rollout plans, our target is to achieve 85% gigabit coverage of the UK by 2025, and then nationwide coverage by 2030. Over 79% of UK premises can now access gigabit-capable broadband, which represents significant progress since January 2019, when coverage was just 6%.</p><p> </p><p>We now have 16 contracts in place, and combined with our procurements running across the country, we have made over £2 billion of funding available to support the deployment of gigabit-capable broadband to over 1.1 million premises in hard-to-reach areas across the UK.</p><p> </p><p>Support is also available for homes and businesses in some rural areas through the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme. Over 108,00 vouchers have been used to connect rural homes and businesses with fast, reliable broadband.</p><p> </p><p>For very hard to reach premises, in April 2023, the Government announced a capital grants scheme to provide up to 35,000 premises with help to access Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite equipment to improve their connectivity. More information on this scheme will be announced in the new year.</p><p> </p><p>To improve 4G coverage in rural areas, the government is working with the UK’s four mobile network operators (EE, Three, VMO2 and Vodafone) to deliver the Shared Rural Network. This agreement will see the Government and industry jointly invest over £1 billion to increase outdoor 4G mobile coverage across the UK to 95% by the end of 2025. The programme targets areas of the country with partial or no 4G coverage, and will significantly improve mobile coverage for an extra 280,000 premises and 16,000km of roads. 4G coverage across the UK is approaching 93%, which is up from 91% when the Shared Rural Network deal was signed in March 2020.</p><p> </p><p>Alongside the Shared Rural Network, the Government’s Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, published in April 2023, set out further steps to improve connectivity across the UK, including a new ambition for nationwide coverage of standalone 5G in all populated areas by 2030.</p><p> </p><p>Finally, Simon Fell MP has been appointed as the Government’s Rural Connectivity Champion. His role will be to ensure that rural communities and businesses can access and adopt the connectivity that they need.</p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Sir John Whittingdale question first answered 19/12/2023 11:46:45 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	4860 label Biography information for Dr Kieran Mullan

1678258

registered interest
date	14/12/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Life Sciences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent progress her Department has made on strengthening the life sciences sector.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Dr Kieran Mullan
uin	7151
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2023 answer text <p>Recent progress to strengthen the life sciences sector includes a raft of new initiatives and funding announced at the Autumn Statement. These include £520 million for life sciences manufacturing; £51 million for Our Future Health; the launch of a Rare Therapies Launch Pad; and £10 million of investment in a Centre of Excellence in Oligonucleotide Manufacturing Innovation. Additionally, the government has recently published the full response to the Commercial Clinical Trials Review. These announcements build on the £650 million growth package announced in May and reaffirm the government’s commitment to supporting a thriving life sciences sector.</p> answering member constituency Arundel and South Downs answering member printed Andrew Griffith question first answered 19/12/2023 16:46:48 answering member 4874 label Biography information for Andrew Griffith
tabling member	4860 label Biography information for Dr Kieran Mullan

1678306

registered interest
date	14/12/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Tree Felling: Urban Areas
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to stop companies installing high speed broadband having the right to fell urban street trees, which is regarded as permitted development under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
tabling member printed	Lord Scriven
uin	HL1230
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2023 answer text <p>The legal framework underpinning rights to install and maintain digital communications infrastructure on land is contained in the Electronic Communications Code (“the Code”), which was substantially reformed in 2017.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to complying with any requirements imposed by planning law, telecommunications operators installing electronic communications apparatus must also act in accordance with the Code.</p><p> </p><p>One of the Code rights that can be included in any agreement between Code operators and landowners regulated by the Code is the right to lop or cut back trees or other vegetation where that interferes with electronic communications apparatus. The inclusion of such a code right will depend on all of the circumstances of any particular case and the agreement can include specific terms as to how such a right is to be exercised.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, Part 13 of the Code sets out the circumstances in which a telecommunications operator may be permitted to lop trees and cut back vegetation that overhangs a street in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, or a road in Scotland, without this being included within the terms of a code agreement. This includes a process through which notice must be given to the occupier of the land on which the tree or vegetation is growing. Absent an objection from the occupier, the operator may cause the tree to be lopped or the vegetation to be cut back, albeit this must be done in such a way as to cause the minimum damage to the tree or vegetation.</p><p> </p><p>These provisions enable operators to effectively roll out networks, as interference caused by trees and vegetation can cause delays and damage to apparatus, while ensuring that any damage to the tree or vegetation is limited.</p><p> </p><p>Separately to Code rights, the Forestry Commission produces guidelines on the felling of trees: <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Ftree-felling-getting-permission&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cparliamentary-questions%40dsit.gov.uk%7C41cc51b6fd0948a9b23508dc0181901f%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C638386903232839851%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=iKOOrHmzJFy3IT7NCevHKqPogCI0rbcl1tsyZ6GW260%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tree-felling-getting-permission</a>.</p><p> </p><p>As access to digital services is becoming increasingly important to businesses and consumers throughout the UK, we are working to make sure that everyone has world-class connectivity. The legal framework in place under the Code not only provides operators with statutory rights to install and maintain their networks; but also imposes specific duties and obligations on them which must be adhered to.</p><p> </p><p>We believe that communities benefit enormously from the deployment of high quality digital infrastructure, with all the economic and social benefits it brings. We want to make sure that deployment happens efficiently, but at the same time, in ways that make sure the impact on communities and the environment is taken into account and broad support is maintained for the rollout of this critical infrastructure.</p> answering member printed Viscount Camrose question first answered 21/12/2023 14:40:28 answering member 4939 label Biography information for Viscount Camrose
tabling member	4333 label Biography information for Lord Scriven

1677702

registered interest
date	13/12/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Innovation: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what plans Innovate UK has to help (a) promote and (b) develop new technologies in the Northern Ireland private sector in 2024.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	6762
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2023 answer text <p>Innovate UK, working closely with key Northern Ireland innovation stakeholders, is developing a Local Action Plan to realise the innovation ambitions of Northern Ireland. The Action Plan will form the basis of how Innovate UK will work with its partners to support local businesses.</p><p> </p><p>Innovate UK held an Innovate Local event in Lisburn in November 2023. This event was attended by SME businesses and promoted the array of national funding and support. Further events are planned for 2024.</p><p> </p><p>Innovate UK has also recently launched a pioneering Launchpad initiative in Northern Ireland to unlock local strengths in life and health sciences.</p> answering member constituency Arundel and South Downs answering member printed Andrew Griffith question first answered 18/12/2023 17:35:10 answering member 4874 label Biography information for Andrew Griffith
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

1677908

registered interest
date	13/12/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Telephone Systems: Local Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate her Department has made of the cost of the withdrawal of copper wire telecommunications to local authorities.
tabling member constituency	Orkney and Shetland
tabling member printed	Mr Alistair Carmichael
uin	6770
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2023 answer text <p>The change to digital landlines will affect many sectors of the economy, including services delivered by local authorities. We cannot definitively comment on the estimated cost of the upgrade on local authorities, since the services and devices vary from one local authority to another.</p><p> </p><p>The Government engages regularly with local authorities to raise awareness of the PSTN migration. As part of that engagement, we have encouraged local authorities to collate and share cost data related to the migration with DSIT and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). We have also made clear that local authorities should plan ahead for how they may be impacted by the migration, including by considering the budgetary implications of upgrading outdated devices.</p><p> </p><p>With regards to communicating the migration, industry is best placed to inform their respective customers. Communications Providers have varying strategies and timelines for the migration, as well as a better understanding of the needs of their individual customers. By contrast, there is a significant risk that a nationwide campaign would be misleading and counterproductive, for example by not giving appropriate advice to vulnerable customers.</p><p> </p><p>That said, DSIT has published a webpage on <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fgov.uk%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cparliamentary-questions%40dsit.gov.uk%7C6af6c33b10804d32fc3308dbfee89cf4%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C638384047254636560%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=aYKyAemefaLR1W4Y1rtDRmQ81bEliFpSQnG9CrOwbRE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">GOV.UK</a> about the PSTN migration as a way to increase public awareness. This resource provides guidance about how consumers can prepare for the switchover and where they can find additional information. The webpage can be found here: <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fguidance%2Fuk-transition-from-analogue-to-digital-landlines&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cparliamentary-questions%40dsit.gov.uk%7C6af6c33b10804d32fc3308dbfee89cf4%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C638384047254792789%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Uv%2B2L%2FFoB%2BxsHFecqCgdULRQ%2B0a9JAs0kw0iL0YCtJM%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-transition-from-analogue-to-digital-landlines</a>. We also regularly engage with Ofcom and Communication Providers to discuss how best to communicate with end users, particularly vulnerable customers.</p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Sir John Whittingdale question first answered 18/12/2023 14:28:51 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	1442 label Biography information for Mr Alistair Carmichael

1677909

registered interest
date	13/12/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Telephone Systems: Local Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what guidance she has issued with the Secretary of State for Levelling up, Housing and Communities to local authorities on the costs of moving to digital telecare.
tabling member constituency	Orkney and Shetland
tabling member printed	Mr Alistair Carmichael
uin	6771
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2023 answer text <p>The Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) both regularly provide information to local authorities about the PSTN migration. Officials from both departments also attend a Digital Switchover Working Group, hosted by the Local Government Authority.</p><p>DSIT is shortly looking to publish further guidance to local authorities about how the switch-off of analogue landlines may impact them. Among several other issues, this guidance will cover aspects of the provision of adult social care.</p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Sir John Whittingdale question first answered 19/12/2023 16:48:34 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	1442 label Biography information for Mr Alistair Carmichael

1677910

registered interest
date	13/12/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Telecommunications Cables: Copper
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department plans to launch a nation-wide public awareness campaign on the withdrawal of copper wire telecommunications.
tabling member constituency	Orkney and Shetland
tabling member printed	Mr Alistair Carmichael
uin	6772
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2023 answer text <p>I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 18th December to Question 6770</p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Sir John Whittingdale question first answered 19/12/2023 11:22:15 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	1442 label Biography information for Mr Alistair Carmichael

1677591

registered interest
date	12/12/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Artificial Intelligence: EU Countries
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the provisional EU plan on the use of artificial intelligence; and how, if at all, this will affect the UK's development of regulations.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL1120
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2023 answer text <p>Many issues relating to AI regulation are global in nature, and will require global solutions to address. This is why we are keen to work with international partners, including the EU, on key issues and find ways to support our national and international AI ecosystems and support businesses operating across jurisdictions. We are also taking an active role in multilateral initiatives addressing AI issues, such as the Global Partnership on AI with GPAI, OECD, G7 Hiroshima AI Process, and the Council of Europe, among others. We will also seek further opportunities for open dialogues to share ideas and best practices in this space.</p><p> </p><p>Last March, the government published the AI Regulation White Paper. This context-based approach has considered the UK’s own unique regulatory, business and societal landscape. Rather than setting a centralised list like the EU, our approach proposes allowing different regulators to take a more tailored and agile approach to the use of AI in a range of settings, reflecting the growing use of AI in a range of sectors for a number of different applications. The proposed framework of cross-sectoral principles will ensure coherence across the regulatory system.</p><p> </p><p>We want to establish a nimble and internationally competitive regulatory approach which drives innovation and growth. This is key to supporting our ambitions to strengthen our position as an AI superpower. The government will be setting out our next steps for the regulatory framework through our white paper consultation response, which is being published in the new year.</p><p> </p><p>In the meantime, we are taking steps to implement our regulatory approach, including the establishment of a central AI risk function, bringing together policymakers and AI experts to identify, assess and report on risks of AI systems. We have also set up the AI Safety Institute, which is aiming to ensure that the UK and the world are not caught off guard by progress at the frontier of AI. We are also engaging closely with regulators across the UK and their sponsoring government departments to understand the organisational capacity they need to regulate AI effectively, across technical, regulatory, and market-specific expertise. This includes the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum AI and Digital Hub announced in September, which will offer advice to AI innovators to make it easier for innovators to navigate the AI regulation landscape so they can bring their products more quickly and safely to market. Alongside this, the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI) continues to lead the Government’s work to enable responsible trustworthy innovation using data and AI that safeguards our fundamental values and puts protecting the public first. For example, the CDEI is working closely with the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Information Commissioner’s Office to support solutions to tackle AI fairness through the delivery of the Fairness Innovation Challenge.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Viscount Camrose question first answered 20/12/2023 11:12:12 answering member 4939 label Biography information for Viscount Camrose
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick