theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Siân Berry:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, excluding umbrella groups, how many meetings in total have ministers in his department held during (a) 2024 and (b) 2025 with community energy organisations. \p Michael Shanks: Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-26)

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Dr Roz Savage:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what conclusions he has come to about the potential risks of foreign investment in our utilities sector. \p Michael Shanks: The Government takes the security and resilience of UK energy infrastructure extremely seriously with the UK being one of the most reliable and safest energy systems, and one of the most attractive investment destinations in the world. Maintaining a secure energy supply is a key priority for the UK Government.

We have a range of effective measures in place which give the Government powers to balance an open investment environment to facilitate growth with protecting the areas of our economy that are the most sensitive to national security.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-26)

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Mr Louie French:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what consideration his Department has given to the potential merits of mandating carbon monoxide detectors in every home with fixed combustion appliances. \p Samantha Dixon: I refer the hon. Member to answer given to Question UIN 80767 on 20 October 2025.

The Building Regulations 2010 apply to new building work and are intended to protect people’s safety, health and welfare. They apply when a building is being designed, constructed, or subject to major re-design, so that minimum standards for size, space and materials are included. The Regulations, which are supported by statutory guidance in Approved Document J, set minimum performance standards for new building work including, at Schedule 1 Part J, provisions for detection and early warning of carbon monoxide. The statutory guidance makes clear that where a new or replacement fixed gas or solid fuel burning appliance is installed in a dwelling, a carbon monoxide alarm should be provided in the room where the appliance is located.

The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations 2015 provide important protections for renters, private and social, requiring landlords to fit smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in their homes. In addition to these regulations, fire and carbon monoxide safety requirements can be found in the Housing Act 2004, the Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Building Safety Act 2022, and government will protect tenants further through our review of the Decent Homes Standard and the new requirements to address health and safety hazards under Awaab’s Law.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-26)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2025 to Question 84208 and 84626 on Chinese Embassy, if he will publish the requested information. \p Matthew Pennycook: All inquiry documents for this case are publicly available on Tower Hamlets website here.

Post-inquiry representations, including parties' responses to the reference back letter, will be listed in the final decision letter and will be publicly available when that letter is published.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-26)

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Mr Louie French:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has had recent discussions with (a) local authority leaders, (b) metro-mayors and (c) the Mayor of London on the value for money of foreign visits. \p Alison McGovern: Local authorities are responsible for their own financial management, and we do not monitor their day-to-day business. We expect all local authorities to take prudent decisions and ensure they manage their finances effectively, in line with “Best Value” guidance, under the Local Government Act 1999.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-26)

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Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that planning policy adequately reflects the potential risks posed by dynamic environments such as a) estuaries, b) floodplains and c) coastlines. \p Matthew Pennycook: Chapter 14 of the National Planning Policy Framework sets out a holistic approach to meeting the challenges of climate change, coastal change, and flooding. It makes clear that the planning system should take full account of all climate impacts, including coastal change and flood risk.

The Framework outlines a sequential approach to flood risk management, requiring inappropriate development to be directed away from areas at highest risk, and providing strong safeguards where development is necessary in these areas. It also specifies that local planning authorities should limit the planned lifetime of development in Coastal Change Management Areas through temporary permissions and restoration conditions if necessary to reduce unacceptable levels of future risk to people or development.

The government is considering whether further changes are required to sufficiently reflect the risks to such areas and we intend to consult on a new suite of national policies for decision making before the end of this year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-26)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to para 3.1 of the Greater Essex devolution consultation, updated July 2025, what discussions his Department has had with local authorities on whether levying a mayoral precept will be a requirement or expectation of the devolution agreement with the government. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: We have not had discussions with Greater Essex on the requirement or expectation on the levying of a mayoral precept. As set out in paragraph 3.1 of the Greater Essex devolution consultation, the Greater Essex Mayoral Strategic Authority would have the ability to introduce a mayoral precept on council tax should it choose to do so.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-26)

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Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of guidance issued to local planning authorities on the increase in housing delivery targets through revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework; and whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of that guidance in enabling authorities to meet statutory obligations. \p Matthew Pennycook: The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 includes a new Standard Method for assessing housing needs that is aligned to our Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million new safe and decent homes in England by the end of this Parliament

The standard method is used by local authorities to inform the preparation of their local plans. Once local housing need has been assessed, authorities should then make an assessment of the number of new homes that can be provided in their area. This should be justified by evidence on land availability, constraints on development, such as National Landscapes and areas at risk of flooding, and any other relevant matters. The approach taken is then be tested by the Planning Inspector during the examination of the Local Plan.

Alongside the publication of a new Standard method, my Department also published revised planning practice guidance to reflect these changes. This can be found on gov.uk here.

We will keep the need for additional planning practice guidance under review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-26)

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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to update the regulation of third-party political campaigning. \p Samantha Dixon: As set out in our Strategy for Modern Elections, we are taking forward a package of measures to strengthen the rules around political finance, some of which will apply to third-party campaigners. This includes requiring recipients of donations to consider the risk of political donations being illegitimate, ensure political donors declare any benefit or sources of funding connected to their donation and tighten the rules around company donations by allowing them to donate only if they have a genuine connection to the UK or Ireland.

By taking action to address vulnerabilities and close loopholes in the existing system, we will strengthen and protect the integrity of our democracy.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-26)

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Gareth Bacon:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his department is taking to engage with HM Courts & Tribunals Service to ensure central recording of the average time for the First-tier Tribunal Property Chamber to consider, process and rule upon rent appeal cases brought by tenants, and to ensure this central recording will be in place prior to implementation of the Renters' Rights Act 2025. \p Matthew Pennycook: My Department continues to work closely with the Ministry of Justice to ensure that the justice system is well prepared for our reforms, including ensuring that suitable arrangements are in place for monitoring data relating to rent increase challenges.

In the Property Chamber, work is progressing to increase capacity, as well as reviewing resource and working practices in readiness for any increase in demand. This includes work by HMCTS on plans for improvements to the data they capture and draw from supporting systems to the Tribunal.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-26)

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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how the Infrastructure Levy will operate in metropolitan boroughs; and what the projected levy income for the West Midlands is over the next five years. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government has made clear that it does not intend to commence the Infrastructure Levy provisions from the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-26)

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Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the number of (a) car boot sale days that were licensed by local authorities and (b) trading standards compliance visits for counterfeit goods that took place for each of the last three years. \p Samantha Dixon: The requested information on the number of car boot sale days that were licenced by local authorities and the number of trading standards compliance visits for counterfeit goods is not held centrally.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-26)

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Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he plans to announce the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Grant for the 2026-27 financial year. \p Alison McGovern: As announced in the Local Government Policy Statement on 20 November, found here, the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Grant will be worth at least £480 million over the 3 years from 2026/27 and the distribution will follow the existing allocation formula. Further details will be in the Local Government Finance provisional settlement before Christmas.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-26)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2025 to Question 84950, on Local Government: Elections, if he will list the dates on when political parties were (a) individually or (b) collectively consulted. \p Samantha Dixon: As set out in the response to Question UIN 84950, the Government has worked closely with a range of partners in the electoral sector in the development of the strategy for modern and secure elections. The Government will continue to engage with all key election sector stakeholders, including political parties, to ensure the successful delivery of the changes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-26)

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David Reed:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will provide additional funding through the Local Government Finance Settlement for 2026-27 for the cost of delivering services in rural and sparsely populated areas. \p Alison McGovern: On Thursday 20 November, we published the government response to the Fair Funding Review 2.0, which sets out the government’s plan to introduce a fairer and evidence-led funding system. In doing so, we will target a greater proportion of grant funding towards the most deprived places which need it most, ensuring the best value for money for government and taxpayers.

The government recognises that different parts of the country face different costs for delivering the same services. For this reason, we propose to take account of variations in costs between local authorities through an Area Cost Adjustment (ACA). The ACA considers differences in labour and rental costs, as well as the cost impact of longer journey times.

We are also proposing to include a measure of remoteness, to account for the potential impact on cost for rural authorities that cannot readily access local markets because of their location. Taking into consideration the available evidence and the views of stakeholders, the government has made a judgement that remoteness should be accounted for when assessing the cost of delivering adult social care services.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-26)

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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the financial resilience of metropolitan local authorities; and what steps his Department is taking to support councils implementing section 114 recovery plans. \p Alison McGovern: The government is delivering a fairer system and realigning funding with need and deprivation through the first multi-year Local Government Finance Settlement in a decade.

These changes will not fix the challenges facing local government overnight. Reform will take time and we recognise the potential for continued instability as we work to fix the foundations of local government, but these proposals are a fundamental step to improving the sustainability of the sector in the years to come and will allow councils to focus on service delivery and transformation.

Issuing a Section 114 notice is a local decision and one that government has no formal role in. However, the government has now confirmed in the policy statement published on 20 November that there will continue to be a framework in place to support local authorities in the most difficult financial positions and remains committed to working collaboratively with them to work towards financial sustainability.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2025 to Question 84201 on Absent Voting, if he will make it his policy to amend legislation to ensure that political parties and elected representatives have access to the expiry date of a postal vote as part of their existing rights to receive absent voting lists. \p Samantha Dixon: As stated in the Answer of 29 October 2025 to UIN 84201 on Absent Voting, political parties and elected representatives are entitled to request access to the electoral register, including absent voter lists. The Government has no plans to make changes to the information which is shared as part of the electoral register.
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Bradley Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to take steps to increase firefighter remuneration in line with inflation. \p Samantha Dixon: Setting firefighter pay is the responsibility of local employers, working through the National Joint Council. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government plays no role in the negotiation or funding of firefighter pay.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support high street revitalisation in places such as Aldridge and Brownhills; and what funding streams are available for local regeneration projects. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: Government’s commitment to the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) area involves a Devolution Deal which provides more funding, a single departmental-style budget, and new powers over transport, skills, and housing. This approach gives the mayor and local leaders more control to invest in local priorities and deliver economic growth and regeneration as set out in the recently publish West Midlands Plan for Growth.

In addition, in 2024 the Government introduced High Street Rental Auctions, giving local authorities the power to bring long-vacant commercial properties back into use. Councils can auction rental rights for properties empty for at least 366 days within two years, aiming to revitalise high streets. Landlords have eight weeks to secure a tenant after notice; if unsuccessful, the property can be auctioned, with the new tenant restricted to the “high street use” set by the authority.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, to provide a breakdown of (i) the total number (ii) the age of children taken into care in each of the last ten years. \p Josh MacAlister: The latest figures on the number of children taken into care for reasons of court orders or police protection, emergency or child assessment orders in England by age are shown in the attached table.

The latest figures on all children starting to be looked after in England by legal status and separately by age is published in the statistical release: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions/2025#explore-data-and-files.

The table can be located at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/a70a7aef-adc9-46be-b94b-08de28d609b2.

Children taken into care 2016 to 2025 (xlsx, 605.9KB)
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department provides to local authorities on support for schools in cases of (a) snow and (b) other extreme weather. \p Josh MacAlister: It is for individual settings and responsible bodies to decide on closures based on their own risk assessment. Closures should be a last resort, and the priority is to keep settings open where it is safe to do so.

The department’s emergency planning guidance outlines how schools should provide remote education when schools are closed due to snow and other forms of extreme weather, such as extreme heat, flooding and storms. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/emergency-planning-and-response-for-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings/emergency-planning-and-response-for-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings#exam-and-assessment-disruption.

We have also issued non-statutory guidance on providing remote education guidance for schools, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/providing-remote-education-guidance-for-schools/providing-remote-education-guidance-for-schools. Both sets of guidance are available online for local authorities to use.

All schools and colleges must also have contingency plans to ensure exams and assessments proceed during disruption. Detailed guidance on managing exam or assessment disruption can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/exam-system-contingency-plan-england-wales-and-northern-ireland/what-schools-and-colleges-should-do-if-exams-or-other-assessments-are-seriously-disrupted.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of covering the cost of (a) insurance and (b) DBS checks for employers taking on volunteer workers. \p Josh MacAlister: Keeping children safe could not be more important to this government, and schools and colleges as employers, play a critical role in this.   We support them to do this through our robust safeguarding framework, ‘Keeping children safe in education’, which is the statutory guidance that all schools and colleges must have regard to when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.   This includes robust safer recruitment procedures which are vital to deterring and preventing individuals who are unsuitable to work with children from securing employment or volunteering opportunities in schools and colleges.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-26)

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Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to announce the 10 trial local authorities for the Kinship Allowance Pilot paid at an equivalent rate to the fostering National Minimum Allowance. \p Josh MacAlister: The department recognises the important role that kinship carers play in caring for some of the most vulnerable children, and the role of local authorities to support them.

The department recently closed the expression of interest process for local authorities to apply to deliver the Kinship Allowance Pilot in their areas. This will be for eligible kinship carers within the pilot areas to apply for via their local authorities. The department will announce the successful local authorities in due course.
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Sir Desmond Swayne:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that Pupil Premium Plus is not absorbed into school budgets but is spent spent specifically on adopted the children that qualified for the payment. \p Georgia Gould: The pupil premium grant provides funding to schools to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. ‘Pupil premium plus’ (PP+) refers to the portion of the pupil premium grant for children who are looked after by the local authority or were previously looked after by a local authority or other state care.

Pupil premium funding, including PP+, is not a personal budget for individual pupils. It is for schools to decide how to allocate the funding after assessing the needs of their disadvantaged cohort, including looked after and previously looked after children. Statutory guidance is clear that the school’s designated teacher should ensure the specific needs of the PP+ cohort are understood by the school’s staff and reflected in how the school uses PP+ to support these children. They should encourage parents and guardians’ involvement in deciding how the PP+ is used.

Maintained schools and academies must publish strategy statements setting out their planned use of pupil premium.
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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the Curriculum Review to provide algorithm literacy and AI education to help children understand that AI systems can have inaccurate outputs; and what steps will be taken through the curriculum to ensure that young people are educated on the potential harms of AI including a) Deepfakes and CSAM content, b) AI generated online fraud and scams, c) Chatbot algorithmic biases. \p Georgia Gould: The department has accepted the Curriculum and Assessment Review’s recommendations for computing and are committed to going further through explicitly including AI within the curriculum, and exploring a potential Level 3 qualification in data science and AI. This will empower students to harness the opportunities of AI, whilst navigating its risks responsibly.

We will work with subject experts to ensure that AI and issues like bias in technology will be included within the refreshed computing curriculum in an age-appropriate way. The exact content will be determined following engagement with experts, and we will publicly consult on the draft proposals next year.

It is worth noting that algorithms and online harms are currently covered in the curriculum, through computing and relationships, sex and health education (RSHE). In July, the government published updated RSHE statutory guidance introducing new content on AI, online safety and pornography, which will be mandatory from 1 September 2026.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data she has on the number of children who are irregular migrants and enrolled in schools; and what the estimated annual cost is for educating those children. \p Georgia Gould: The requested information is not held by the department.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of exam support for students with dyslexia. \p Georgia Gould: I refer the hon. Member for Fylde to the answer of 21 November 2025 to Question 90919.
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Richard Tice:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of awarding the Teachers’ Pension Scheme administration contract to Tata Consultancy Services on national security, service standards and domestic employment; and whether UK-based providers were invited to bid for this contract. \p Georgia Gould: The procurement to appoint a new administrator of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme was conducted under the Public Contract Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015), which aims to ensure an open, transparent and fair competition. During the procurement exercise several UK companies participated in the formal process. This procurement followed the standard due diligence checks and the standard departmental governance procedures. These checks did not highlight any concerns in relation to national security.

As part of the assessment process the potential bidders were required to contractually commit to the mandatory requirements to meet all necessary IT security standards. Domestic employment was not a part of the evaluation criteria for potential providers. The evaluation criteria did assess a potential provider’s capability to meet the required service standards.
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Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the value for money of management and service charges paid by academy and free schools to related parties in England. \p Georgia Gould: Academy trusts are permitted to use a proportion of their funding to pay for central services for their schools. This can be more efficient and cheaper than individual academies running or procuring the functions themselves. Where trusts top slice for central services, they must be transparent by disclosing in their annual accounts the services they deliver centrally and the trust’s charging policy.

The ’Academy trust handbook’ sets out the requirements related party transactions (RPTs). The handbook requires that trusts must:

The handbook is available in full at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academy-trust-handbook.

The department has also published a guide on managing conflicts of interests and RPTs to support trusts, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/related-party-transactions-information-for-academy-trusts/managing-conflicts-of-interests-related-party-relationships-and-related-party-transactions-good-practice-guide.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has spent money on social media influencers since July 2024. \p Kanishka Narayan: The Department for Science Innovation and Technology has spent money on social media influencers since July 2024. Influencers can be effective in reaching audiences that the Government and traditional marketing channels find hard to reach.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, for what purposes their Department has used artificial intelligence in the last year. \p Kanishka Narayan: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is central to our plan for growth and transforming public services, guided by the Government AI Playbook.

We have adopted general-purpose AI tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot, enabling civil servants to draft, summarise, and analyse information. This is estimated to save a civil servant up to approximately 26 minutes per day. We have also built specific solutions, such as chatbots for operational queries and Impact Assessments.

For wider government, the Incubator for AI (i.AI) delivers solutions such as Redbox and Consult, and GDS is building GOV.UK Chat for citizens.

These tools improve efficiency and delivery of departmental outcomes. Further details have been published online as part of the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard.
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Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had recent discussions with (a) Lightspeed and (b) other (i) broadband and (ii) connectivity companies on the effectiveness of their consultation processes with local residents before any telegraph pole installation takes place. \p Ian Murray: I have not had any discussions with Lightspeed about their consultation processes with local residents. However, my predecessor raised concerns about telegraph pole deployment directly with industry, through trade bodies ISPA and INCA.

In response, the industry convened the Telecommunications Poles Working Group, and published its best practice recommendations. These guidelines set out expectations for operators who plan to deploy telegraph poles as part of their network and sets out steps that local authorities and communities can take if they have any concerns.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-11)

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Dame Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to provide funding for research into the (a) prevention and (b) treatment of arthritis and musculoskeletal disease in UK universities. \p Kanishka Narayan: The Government does not generally ringfence funding for particular areas of research but has funded a significant amount of applicant-led funding on arthritis and musculoskeletal disease.

In 2024, UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) committed over £17 million to research on these topics, including over £4 million for the University of Oxford, within UKRI’s £28.5 million Functional Genomics Initiative, to establish a research cluster focused on the use of functional genomics techniques to improve musculoskeletal health and disease.

UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of research with wider relevance, including in immunology and pain relief, and plays a key role in funding underpinning discovery research.
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UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-11 conversation_5

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding from the National Security and Strategic Investment Fund will go to companies in Huntingdon constituency. \p Kanishka Narayan: The National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF) is the UK Government’s corporate venture arm for dual-use technologies. NSSIF invests in technology start-ups to deliver future capabilities for National Security and Defence (NS&D), and funds R&D work programmes with companies.

The programme was established for the purpose of delivering national security and defence objectives, and so funding does not have a geographic mandate. NSSIF is always looking to identify promising UK-based companies that align to its mission, though cannot speculate on the specific locations of future funding recipients.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-11 conversation_6

Dame Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he science and discovery centres fall within the remit of his Department. \p Kanishka Narayan: The UK’s Science and Discovery Centres have an important role in engaging the public, with science and technology and in inspiring young people, particularly those from underrepresented groups, to consider studying STEM subjects and related careers.

However, while some centres do carry out research in addition to their informal science learning activities their primary role is as visitor centres focussed on the role of science in the UK’s culture. While the department and partners such as UKRI have provided support for particular programmes managed by science centres, as institutions they do not fall within DSIT’s remit.

DSIT is currently planning to engage with DCMS to discuss how government’s relationship with these important institutions can best be supported going forward.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-11 conversation_7

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many of the Government’s new AI Growth Zones are in (a) Cambridgeshire and (b) the Huntingdon constituency. \p Kanishka Narayan: The formal application process for AI Growth Zones opened in April 2025. We will be communicating to all formal applicants the outcome of their application shortly and we will move selected sites forward as soon as they are ready. This approach ensures critical AI infrastructure can be delivered quickly to support the UK’s AI ecosystem, enabling development and deployment across sectors while delivering economic benefits across all parts of the country.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-11 conversation_8

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, for what purposes government agencies monitor social media activity by members of the public; and whether there are limits on the scope of such monitoring. \p Kanishka Narayan: Within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT) leads the department’s operational response to information risks to UK audiences within its ministerially defined remit which concerns public safety and national security. The NSOIT has compliance policies and procedures in place, in accordance with all applicable legislation, to ensure that individuals are not monitored and their rights are respected. Its privacy notices are available on GOV.UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-11 conversation_9

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what his policy is on the (a) storage, (b) retention and (c) use of data collected from social media monitoring activities by (i) government departments and (ii) affiliated agencies. \p Kanishka Narayan: The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology complies with UK data protection legislation, ensuring data is used fairly, and handled appropriately. That includes data collected from social media monitoring activities.

For example, DSIT’s National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT) conducts targeted open-source analysis to identify and assess potential threats within its ministerially agreed remit of public safety and national security. NSOIT has a privacy notice which sets out how data will be stored, retained and used in the course of its work and this is available on gov.uk.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-11 conversation_10

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether any third-party contractors have been engaged to assist with the monitoring of social media content. \p Kanishka Narayan: Government follows a fair and open tender process towards all contracts. Information on contracts awarded by the department to third-party contractors is available on gov.uk.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-11 conversation_11

Julia Lopez:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2024 to Question HL1281 on Emily Middleton, on what date the declaration of interests was made. \p Kanishka Narayan: The Propriety and Ethics team were contacted about Ms Middleton’s previous employment on 10 July 2024, this is shown in FOI2024-00289, Annex D.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-11 conversation_12

Julia Lopez:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when the temporary role of the Director General, Digital Centre Design expires. \p Kanishka Narayan: As per released documentation, in FOI2024-00256-Annex E Ms Middleton’s appointment was approved for two years, until 15 July 2026.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-11 conversation_13

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, CP 1337, published on 23 June 2025, what his target date is for the rollout of 6G networks in the UK. \p Ian Murray: The development of 6G technology is still in its early stages, and rollout timelines depend on the progress of the industry-led standardisation process. We expect that 6G technology will not be deployed anywhere globally until the early 2030s. Rollout of 6G networks in the UK will depend on commercial decisions of mobile network operators. The Government is committed to working with operators and others to support the health of the sector and the success of the ongoing rollout of 5G, so that the UK will be in a strong position for the transition to the next generation of mobile communications.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-11 conversation_14

Abtisam Mohamed:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the decision to restrict TechExpert scholarships to domestic PhD students on the UK’s international competitiveness in Artificial Intelligence innovation. \p Kanishka Narayan: The Government is committed to strengthening the UK’s position as a global leader in AI. While TechExpert scholarships focus on domestic talent, we continue to attract top international talent through initiatives such as the AI Global Fellowships and the Spärck AI scholarships. These programmes ensure the UK retains world-class expertise, supports frontier research, and sustains its competitive edge in AI innovation. This balance to championing our domestic pipeline while attracting some of the world's best AI minds to the UK is key to maximising our AI ambitions.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-11 conversation_15

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's announcement entitled Investment for Border Security Command to tackle people smuggling gangs of 3 August 2025, what the responsibilities of the 300 additional National Crime Agency officers will be. \p Sarah Jones: The additional National Crime Agency officers will play a vital role in strengthening the NCA’s response to organised immigration crime (OIC).

This uplift in resource reflects the Agency’s commitment to tackling the OIC threat with greater intensity than ever before.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-11 conversation_16

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, by what date she expects all police forces in England and Wales to have full operational access to the TOEX Capabilities Environment. \p Sarah Jones: The Home Office is providing the Tackling Organised Exploitation (TOEX) programme with £8.8 million this year to increase law enforcements capability to respond to organised exploitation, including by providing dedicated intelligence, analytical and technical expertise.

In August 2025, the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls announced an additional £426,000 this year, which will enable all forces in England and Wales to access the cutting-edge digital tools that TOEX have developed to support police in detecting and investigating organised exploitation. This includes child sexual exploitation, alongside other organised exploitation crimes including modern slavery, organised immigration crimes, and criminal exploitation.

The additional funding will allow for the expedited roll out of the of the Capabilities Environment, to ensure all police investigators in England and Wales have access to the full array of TOEX’s AI-enabled and time-saving tools

The TOEX programme has already contacted all forces in England and Wales to provide information on how they can access the TOEX tools. In addition to the 15 police forces which are already utilising TOEX tools, since the Minister’s announcement in August, a further 10 forces are currently onboarding. TOEX will continue to engage with additional forces.

TOEX is also a critical component in supporting the delivery of Baroness Casey’s recommendation to establish a new national police operation for group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse (Operation Beaconport).
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-11 conversation_17

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the scope of Operation Beaconport is. \p Sarah Jones: Operation BEACONPORT is the name assigned by operational partners to the National Police Operation, overseen by the NCA, as recommended by Baroness Casey in her report that followed her Independent Audit of Group Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (GBCSEA), published in June this year.

The operation will address the elements identified by Baroness Casey in recommendations 2 and 8, by bringing together all the relevant policing partners under one operation, to ensure a swift and specialist law enforcement response to GBCSEA.

Further details on Operation BEACONPORT will be provided by operational partners shortly.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-11 conversation_18

James MacCleary:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a scheme to support police officers and emergency call handlers in obtaining (a) housing and (b) mental health support. \p Sarah Jones: The Government greatly values the vital work of police officers and emergency call handlers in keeping the public safe.

The Home Office is committed to supporting the wellbeing of the police workforce. This includes providing ongoing funding to the National Police Wellbeing Service (NPWS), which provides evidence-based guidance, advice, tools and resources which can be accessed by forces. This helps Chief Constables in their duty to ensure the wellbeing of their workforce. In particular, the Service is helping forces to identify where there is most risk of impacts on mental health, and developing work around building resilience, as well as putting in place support for those who need it in response to traumatic events.

The Police Covenant has already helped deliver pre-deployment mental health training for new recruits and improved occupational health standards for officers in service.

Any scheme concerning access to housing for the police workforce or other key workers would be a matter for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.