Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Topical Questions

Wednesday 22 May 2024 · 5 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • UK Research and Innovation chief executive is stepping down in June next year, and the Government are accelerating the recruitment process.
  • Government policies have improved broadband and mobile connectivity on the Welsh borders, according to the Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure.
  • The Minister disagrees with Labour's characterization of the AI Safety Institute's effectiveness and highlights the UK's front-foot approach in AI safety initiatives.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Chris Elmore Lab Bridgend
Science & Technology
Context

The UK Research and Innovation chief executive is stepping down in June next year, with the recruitment process typically taking eight months.

Question

The UK Research and Innovation chief executive has announced that they are stepping down in June next year. The recruitment process normally lasts eight months, yet the Government are speeding up that process. Is that because they are worried about the outcome of a general election?

Answer from Andrew Griffith

This Government are focusing on delivery every single day, and I make no apologies for cracking on with the process of making sure that our brilliant research institutions have the finest leadership that the best and brightest in the world deserve.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not address why the recruitment process was being expedited.

How: Focused On Delivery

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Q2 Simon Baynes
Transport Wales Science & Technology
Context

Government policies led to improved broadband and mobile connectivity in Clwyd South and North Shropshire, but some areas still lack good coverage.

Question

In recent years, Government policies led by the Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure have resulted in a big improvement in broadband and mobile connectivity on the Welsh borders, both in my constituency of Clwyd South and across the border in neighbouring North Shropshire, but there are still some poor areas of connectivity. Could the Minister outline what further steps she is taking to ensure that all homes and businesses on both sides of the Welsh border see better broadband and mobile connectivity?

Answer from Julia Lopez

I thank my hon. Friend for his brilliant work on connectivity in the border areas—[Applause.]

Not addressed: Did not provide details of further steps being taken.

How: Applauded The Questioner Without Answering

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Q3 Matt Rodda Lab Reading Central
Science & Technology
Context

Developers of frontier AI have refused to share information with the AI Safety Institute, leaving it toothless.

Question

It is good to see the hon. Member for South Thanet back in his place. Last year, the UK hosted the AI safety summit and set up the AI Safety Institute. However, since then, developers of frontier AI have refused to share information with the Safety Institute, leaving it toothless. Labour has repeatedly called for binding regulation to support safety. With the Secretary of State discussing the future of AI this week, is it not high time for the Government to finally agree to binding regulation?

Answer from Saqib Bhatti

I do not agree with that categorisation. The truth is that the Bletchley summit was a world-leading summit. We took a front-foot approach and we are co-hosting the Seoul summit, which is bringing together AI nations, AI companies and top experts in academia and civil society.

Not addressed: Did not address when binding regulation will be agreed upon.

How: Focused On Past Achievements

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Q4 Marco Longhi
Immigration Science & Technology
Context

Taxpayers' money is being channelled to organisations like the Arts and Humanities Research Council for projects deemed as 'woke-driven'.

Question

Does the Minister agree that the large sums of taxpayers' money channelled to organisations such as the Arts and Humanities Research Council for woke-driven projects should be spent on other high-tech projects such as, for example, the tagging of illegal migrants in this country so that we can quickly locate and deport them, starting in Dudley?

Answer from Andrew Griffith

Funding councils must be accountable for their own individual decisions. My hon. Friend no doubt reflects the concern of his constituents, who expect, in return for our record expenditure on research, the discovery of life-saving medicines, or groundbreaking technology; that is what they expect in return for hard-earned taxpayers' money.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not directly address redirecting funds to high-tech migration control projects.

How: Emphasized Accountability And Expectations

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Q5 Andrew Bridgen Con
Science & Technology
Context

A World Economic Forum representative stated that 'we own the science'. This raises concerns about impartiality, objectivity and ethics in UK scientific research.

Question

A representative of the World Economic Forum told the audience at Davos that “we own the science”. What steps are the Government taking to ensure that scientific research in the UK is impartial, objective and ethical, regardless of who is funding it?

Answer from Andrew Griffith

That is absolutely right. It is intrinsic to the scientific method that research is impartial, and that it is challenged, public, transparent and open. That is always our commitment, but it is also to fully fund research and to turn this country into the science and technology superpower that it deserves to be.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not detail specific steps taken by the government.

How: Stated Commitment Without Specifics

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