Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Topical Questions 2026-07-01

Wednesday 1 July 2026 · 6 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Helen Morgan asked the Secretary of State to ensure mobile network operators use existing infrastructure in Shropshire.
  • Rachael Maskell requested the Secretary of State to introduce laws protecting the creative industries and to meet with the APPG and unions to discuss this further.
  • Julia Lopez inquired if the Secretary of State had made it clear to UK Research and Innovation that funding for certain research priorities would not be cut.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Helen Morgan Lib Dem North Shropshire
Transport Business & Trade
Context

At the all-party parliamentary group on digital communities, it was heard that mobile network operators do not serve rural areas properly due to lack of planning permissions.

Question

In Shropshire, the council has given planning permission to a passive infrastructure provider for three specific sites but it still cannot get the mobile network operators to put their equipment on their masts. What can the Secretary of State do to ensure mobile network operators give my constituents the coverage that they are paying for?

Answer from Liz Kendall

I know that the hon. Lady is really concerned to ensure that her constituents have proper network coverage. We encourage mobile network operators to use existing infrastructure where they can, but I am more than happy to arrange a meeting with my right hon. Friend the Minister for Digital Government and Data to get the progress that the people of North Shropshire need and deserve.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not address how to ensure operators provide coverage in specific areas.

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Q2 Rachael Maskell Labour (Co-op) York Central
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The broadcasting, entertainment and arts unions all-party parliamentary group heard concerning evidence that their work is being scraped by sophisticated AI models for training purposes.

Question

When will the Secretary of State introduce laws to protect the creative industries? Will she meet with the APPG and unions to discuss this matter further?

Answer from Kanishka Narayan

I thank my hon. Friend for raising that critical question for Britain's creative sector. Just yesterday, on British IP Day, I met with the Alliance for Intellectual Property, including artists, authors, publishers, journalists and media organisations, to talk about how our work on digital replicas and transparency will be critical to supporting the creative sector. I would be delighted to meet my hon. Friend and the APPG.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specify when laws will be introduced.

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Q3 Julia Lopez Con Hornchurch and Upminster
Science & Technology
Context

Professor Brian Cox warned about the impact of government cuts to research on advanced physics and astronomy.

Question

Are those the Secretary of State's research priorities too? If not, has she made that crystal clear to UK Research and Innovation?

Answer from Liz Kendall

I am sorry to put the hon. Lady straight, but we are not cutting money for that. We are actually putting in the biggest funding for research and development ever in this country—something of which I am especially proud. We are protecting curiosity-led research and ensuring that we focus on the key priorities of this country, because we know there is no route to stronger growth or better answers and innovations without science and technology at its core.

Answered
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Q4 Julia Lopez Con Hornchurch and Upminster
Science & Technology Energy
Context

The previous Secretary of State said the problems facing physics funding needed to be sorted out as soon as possible.

Question

Has she lobbied the Energy Secretary to stop him driving up the core costs of our critical scientific research institutions?

Answer from Liz Kendall

I say gently to the hon. Lady that we are dealing with the mess we inherited from Conservative Members by ensuring that this country can rely on clean, renewable, home-grown energy right here in Britain. That is why we are driving the technological revolution in AI in our AI growth zones in Wales through three small modular nuclear reactors. It is also why this country has had more venture capital funding in our AI start-ups just this year than the whole of the rest of Europe. We are driving forward change to ensure that this country can succeed.

Not addressed: Discussed energy policy but did not address high costs affecting physics research funding.

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Q5 Jack Abbott Labour (Co-op) Ipswich
Education Science & Technology
Context

Pupils at Northgate high school expressed a need for greater access to public services and digital and AI skills.

Question

Will the Minister outline what the Government are doing to ensure that pupils can access those public services as well as the important digital and AI skills that they desperately need?

Answer from James Frith

This Government are boosting digital and AI skills by embedding media literacy across all key stages, including by introducing an AI-inclusive computing GCSE and a £20 million early careers jobs alliance. We will ensure that digital inclusion is fundamental as the Government work to develop digital access to public services through digital ID. These measures will support children and all people to access public services when they need them; they will be personalised, joined up and involve less faff.

Answered
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Q6 Gagan Mohindra Con South West Hertfordshire
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

There is a commitment to introduce a social media ban for under-16s following calls from Conservative Members.

Question

Will the Secretary of State outline what steps the Government will take to ensure that the enforcement of such a ban is robust enough to prevent children from bypassing it through the use of mechanisms such as virtual private networks, which expose young people to additional risks?

Answer from Liz Kendall

The hon. Gentleman makes an important point—we know children will try to get around the ban, and will succeed. Our measures are as much about resetting the cultural and social norms for future generations, but we will have more highly effective age verification measures to make this work. We are looking at the issue of VPNs in particular, and I will come back to the House with more on that issue very soon.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific steps for enforcement against use of mechanisms like virtual private networks.

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