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1669037

registered interest
date	09/11/2023
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: Offences against Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Government had discussions on the threats posed by AI-generated child sexual abuse material at the AI Safety Summit of 1 and 2 November 2023.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Sir Stephen Timms
uin	1007
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2023 answer text <p>The UK believes that the global risks posed by frontier AI are increasingly urgent, including risks to online safety. That is why the summit programme included a roundtable discussion on risks from the integration of frontier AI into society.</p><p>The Government has already passed legislation to protect children online. The world-leading Online Safety Act contains robust duties for companies to address AI-generated CSEA material. All services will be required to proactively tackle that content, preventing users from encountering it, and removing it immediately if it does appear.</p><p>Additionally, existing criminal law, such as the <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.legislation.gov.uk%2Fukpga%2F2008%2F4%2Fnotes%2Fdivision%2F5%2F1%2F7%2F7&amp;data=05%7C01%7Crosie.steward%40dsit.gov.uk%7C3386f4742137437e720108dbd632f6c6%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C638339286599550781%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=ZO%2BJmTaHfeAyAPx3vwvD%2FfQL12bv8kTtU3GPJUiOeVo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Protection of Children’s Act 1978</a> captures and criminalises a wide range of behaviours which extend to AI-generated CSEA material.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti question first answered 15/11/2023 17:12:04 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1667478

registered interest
date	07/11/2023
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	Social Media: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the impact of social media usage on the mental health of people under the age of 18.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	28
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2023 answer text <p>My officials meet regularly with officials from the Department for Health and Social Care to discuss online safety and children’s mental health.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti question first answered 15/11/2023 17:32:41 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1667556

registered interest
date	07/11/2023
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	Semiconductors: Supply Chains
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 she is taking to (a) prevent, (b) prepare for and (c) respond to disruption of the supply chain of semiconductors.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hodge Hill
tabling member printed	Liam Byrne
uin	83
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2023 answer text <p>The National Semiconductor Strategy sets out the government’s approach to growing our domestic semiconductor sector, safeguarding the UK against supply chain disruption and protecting our national security.</p><p> </p><p>The government recognises that the issues facing the global semiconductor sector cannot be solved by any one country alone. We have committed to work closely with our international partners, both multilaterally and bilaterally, to encourage greater transparency in the global semiconductor supply chain, improve supply chain resilience, and establish areas of collaboration for mutual advantage.</p><p> </p><p>In delivering this vision, the government has already announced ambitious international partnership agreements with the US and Japan in 2023. These agreements enhance our collaboration on supply chain resilience, as well as enabling our world class researchers to collaborate on cutting edge semiconductor technologies and supporting our companies to develop new business relationships. We are also working with other governments and industry in the OECD “Informal Exchange Network on semiconductors”, to multilateralise efforts to understand and improve semiconductor supply chain resilience.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti question first answered 15/11/2023 17:07:21 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	1171 label Biography information for Liam Byrne

1667653

registered interest
date	07/11/2023
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if her Department will take steps to launch a stakeholder consultation on the Hiroshima Process International Guiding Principles for organisations developing advanced AI systems.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Sarah Olney
uin	374
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2023 answer text <p>As part of our broader commitment to work closely with our international partners to ensure the development of safe AI, the UK has been an active participant in the G7 Hiroshima AI Process. Throughout the negotiation of the International Guiding Principles and related International Code of Conduct for Organisations Developing Advanced AI Systems, we maintained a focus on maximising the transformative potential of AI and managing the risks for individuals and society, building from the strengths of our pro-innovation, risk-based domestic approach. We have also ensured that the Hiroshima AI Process complements and can build on the important progress made during our own AI Safety Summit, which had a more focused ambition on frontier AI safety.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise that stakeholder consultation is an important next step in ensuring that both Hiroshima AI Process outputs can effectively shape organisations’ behaviours. Alongside our G7 partners, the UK will take steps to support further stakeholder consultation to ensure that relevant organisations have the chance to contribute to the process. We continue to work closely with Japan, the current G7 and Hiroshima AI Process Chair, to shape the ongoing workplan.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti question first answered 15/11/2023 17:14:04 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	4591 label Biography information for Sarah Olney

1667655

registered interest
date	07/11/2023
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for its policies on artificial intelligence of the draft International Guiding Principles for organisations developing advanced AI systems.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Sarah Olney
uin	376
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2023 answer text <p>As stated in the October 30 G7 Leaders’ Statement on the Hiroshima AI Process, the UK welcomes the development of the International Guiding Principles for Organisations Developing Advanced AI systems. These Principles will help maximise the innovative opportunities and transformative potential of AI, whilst helping to keep citizens safe from risks. They will be subject to further stakeholder consultation that will be developed alongside Japan, the current G7 and Hiroshima AI Process chair.</p><p> </p><p>We will further reflect on the Guiding Principles in the continued development of our AI policy. We recognise the value of the Principles as Governments continue to develop their own domestic approaches to AI, including the UK with our own pro-innovation, risk-based approach</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti question first answered 15/11/2023 17:25:09 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	4591 label Biography information for Sarah Olney

1667837

registered interest
date	07/11/2023
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
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 monitor the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by UK businesses; and whether she plans to take steps to monitor the potential impact of AI use by businesses on the number of jobs created in each of the next five years.
tabling member constituency	Stockton South
tabling member printed	Matt Vickers
uin	608
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2023 answer text <p>The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology draws on regularly updated evidence from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The ONS run the regular Business and Insights Conditions Survey (BICS) survey, which is refreshed every two weeks and now contains questions on AI uptake in UK businesses.</p><p> </p><p>The ONS estimated that in September 2023, only 16% of UK businesses were using AI, with 19% planning to adopt solutions in the future (ONS, <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/business/businessservices/bulletins/businessinsightsandimpactontheukeconomy/latest#artifical-intelligence" target="_blank">BICS survey</a>). A separate global study by KPMG finds a similar level of uptake in the use of AI in business settings of 20% in the UK (KMPG, <a href="https://policy-futures.centre.uq.edu.au/files/16650/Trust%20in%20AI%20Global%20Report_2023_UQ.pdf" target="_blank">Trust in Artificial Intelligence 2023</a>).</p><p> </p><p>Our understanding of AI diffusion in the economy can also be informed by consumer use, which is reported at much higher levels. 50% of adults reported to the ONS that they used AI in their day-to-day life (ONS, OPN survey). It is possible that while businesses do not report formal use of AI, workers in these companies use tools such as ChatGPT or other Large Language Models for daily work tasks.</p><p> </p><p>On the potential impact of AI use by businesses on the number of jobs created, in each of the next five years, AI has the potential to be a net creator of jobs and have a positive impact on economic growth - the World Economic Forum concluded in October 2020 that while AI may take away 85 million jobs globally by 2025, it is also likely to generate</p><p>97 million new jobs in areas such as data, machine learning and digital marketing.</p><p> </p><p>DSIT will continue to monitor the take-up of AI in businesses and the impact this has on job creation closely.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti question first answered 15/11/2023 17:48:43 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	4844 label Biography information for Matt Vickers

1156262

registered interest
date	24/10/2019
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Churches: Theft
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of major property thefts from Churches in the last five years.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	4943
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2019 answer text <p>The Church of England does not hold data on thefts centrally, but it is kept by local police forces, Historic England and the insurance industry.</p><p>The most prominent form of property theft from churches is that of metal (mainly lead from roofs) and of historic building materials such as flagstones. These are items with a high resale value and which, once removed, can be difficult to identify as coming from a particular place. Because of the largely historic nature of the buildings targeted these thefts are counted as heritage crime. This issue does not just affect churches; it is so widespread that it is the subject of a joint project and Memorandum of Understanding signed by the National Police Chiefs' Council, the Crown Prosecution Service, Historic England and a growing number of local authorities, community safety partnerships and National Park Authorities. It is an agreement to work in partnership with each other to prevent and solve crimes against historic places.</p><p>The Church of England is an active partner in identifying and tackling heritage crime, especially metal theft. The church is part of Operation Crucible, the police-led initiative investigating metal theft, and it has become clear over recent years that this form of criminal behaviour is now being undertaken by organised gangs. The earlier changes to the law did initially lead to a drop in reported incidences, but recently the issue has again become more widespread. The Church of England submitted evidence to the review of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act in 2017 asking the Government to tighten up the Act to better reflect the changing behaviour of both the scrap metal trade and the organised criminal activity.</p><p>Due to the highly mobile nature of this form of organised criminal activity and without increased resource, it is hard to see how police and heritage crime officers will be able to address the increase in thefts we are seeing across the country. Thefts are moving gradually west and north along the major transport routes. This year the Church has had the first reports of metal and stone theft in the Bath &amp; Wells Diocese and in the Yorkshire Dioceses. Tightening up of the law, therefore, needs to be accompanied by increased police resources and greater political will.</p><p>Parish churches are maintained by volunteers on behalf of the local community. Aside from the financial impact of these thefts, the impact on communities is significant. The social and community impact of the crime, as well as the criminal damage to listed buildings, needs to be addressed at sentencing, as even the theft of small amounts of lead or stone cost has a huge impact on local people. These buildings represent our country’s local and national heritage. Due to the highly mobile nature of criminal gangs, it is essential that police and local churches work together to ensure that heritage crime does not become a decreasing priority for police forces.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 05/11/2019 15:30:10 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman previous answer version 3752 answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

1141741

registered interest
date	24/07/2019
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Anglicanism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church of England has plans to adopt the approach of the Global Anglican Future Conference as a model for the (a) growth and (b) development of the Anglican Communion.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	281578
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The policies, structures and strategic development of the Anglican Communion are not matters for which the Church Commissioners has responsibility.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 03/09/2019 14:00:55 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1141744

registered interest
date	24/07/2019
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Global Anglican Future Conference: Rwanda
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Archbishop of Canterbury plans to attend the 2020 Global Anglican Future Conference in Kigali, Rwanda.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	281579
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>At previous meetings of the Global Anglican Future Conference the Archbishop of Canterbury has been represented by a diocesan bishop of the Church of England. No decision has yet been taken by the Archbishop of Canterbury about whether he or a representative will attend the 2020 Conference in Kigali.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 03/09/2019 14:04:02 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1141745

registered interest
date	24/07/2019
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Transgender People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, if the Church of England will clarify its interpretation of biblical teaching on sex and gender in relation to transgender issues.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	281580
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The Church of England is currently undertaking a consultative process called ‘Living in Love and Faith’, which is considering all matters of sexuality and gender.</p><p>In 2018 the House of Bishops issued Pastoral Guidance for use in conjunction with the Affirmation of Baptismal Faith in the context of gender transition, which can be found here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2018-12/Pastoral%20Guidance-Affirmation-Baptismal-Faith.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2018-12/Pastoral%20Guidance-Affirmation-Baptismal-Faith.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 03/09/2019 14:05:54 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes