← Back to Westminster Hall Debates
AI Safety
10 December 2025
Lead MP
Iqbal Mohamed
Dewsbury and Batley
Ind
Responding Minister
Kanishka Narayan
Tags
NHS
Word Count: 13643
Other Contributors: 20
At a Glance
Iqbal Mohamed raised concerns about ai safety in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The lead MP calls for better regulation to ensure that automated systems comply with existing regulations, particularly in areas like mental health advice where the lack of oversight can be dangerous.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
The debate focuses on the potential risks and threats of AI systems, including autonomous weapons, cyber-attacks, biological threats, and loss of human control. It highlights documented cases such as a large-scale cyber-attack driven by AI and instances of mental health issues caused by chatbots. The issue of regulation for AI tools providing healthcare advice is also raised.
Anneliese Dodds
Lab/Co-op
Oxford East
Asked for clarification on curriculum review, support for teachers, ban on nudified images, timeline for violence against women and girls strategy, AI chatbots under the Online Safety Act 2023, Ofcom investigation into illegal online hate and terror material, and the need for an AI Bill.
Ayoub Khan
Ind
Birmingham Perry Barr
Highlighted the risks posed by AI to democratic life and information integrity, advocating for stricter regulation and control over a technology we cannot fully comprehend.
Ben Lake
PC
Ceredigion Preseli
Ben Lake supports a safety-first approach to AI development, highlighting concerns about the arms race towards advanced models without democratic control. He challenges the Minister to use UK's convening power for an AI safety summit focusing on global consensus and prohibition of superintelligence.
Chris Evans
Lab/Co-op
Caerphilly
Chris Evans discusses serious risks posed by AI, such as the misuse in political elections and the impact on the literary sector. He raises concerns about piracy and potential displacement of novelists' work, urging increased funding to support minority groups and emerging talent.
Chi Onwurah
Lab
Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West
Congratulates the MP on the debate and discusses the need to extend regulation for AI beyond existing internet regulations, emphasizing that enforcement mechanisms are not currently in place for automated tools. Acknowledged the importance of scrutiny by all affected Select Committees, including those covering environment, defence, and Treasury, to address AI's impact on every single function of Government.
Ben Spencer
Con
Runnymede and Weybridge
Acknowledges the risks of AI but also sees it as a once-in-a-generation opportunity. Highlights concerns about biased data, shadow banning, impacts on BSL, and regulated advice from large language models. Requests updates on the Online Safety Act’s application to chatbots and measures against deepfake content.
Winchester
Concerned about the impact of AI chatbots on mental health, noting that one in three adults rely on them for advice and treatment. He warns against potentially dangerous advice given by these tools.
Emily Darlington
Lab
Milton Keynes Central
Emily Darlington acknowledges the opportunities AI brings to tech jobs in Milton Keynes but emphasises the need for safe AI. She supports British Standards Institution's work on standards for edge AIs and calls for listening to their guidelines.
Iqbal Mohamed
Lab
Dewsbury and Batley
Emphasised the need for representatives from all affected Select Committees due to the broad influence of AI across various governmental functions. Emphasized the importance of ethical use of AI, human oversight for actions that could lead to harm, and reviewed issues such as gender imbalance and data scraping from inappropriate sources. Called for UK standards and improvements in subsidies given to foreign tech companies.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Highlighted the risks associated with AI, including voice cloning scams and phishing attempts that mimic family members or institutions like HMRC. Emphasized the need for balance in adopting AI technology while addressing its dangers.
Kanishka Narayan
Con
Northampton North
Discussed the Government's efforts to ensure AI companies make their products safe, including a new offence criminalising AI models optimised for child sexual exploitation and abuse. Mentioned the work of the AI Security Institute in testing over 30 frontier AI models.
Luke Charters
Lab
York Outer
Suggested introducing AI in the key stage 2 curriculum with safeguards and urged the Government to work with the NHS to ensure AI chatbots cite the NHS as a single source of truth.
Mark Sewards
Lab
Leeds South West and Morley
AI can be dangerous, but also has potential. A balance needs to be struck between usefulness and safety as the technology develops.
Newton Abbot
We should look at how AI is used rather than trying to regulate it as a technology. It is important not to regulate the technology too narrowly but focus on outcomes and usage.
Adnan Hussain
Ind
Blackburn
Stresses that innovation and safety are not opposites, citing examples from when Google and online banking first came in. Emphasises the need for clear rules to increase public trust without stifling technology.
Julie Minns
Lab
Carlisle
The hon. Member touched on concerns raised by the British sign language community regarding the design of AI BSL which may not adequately include BSL users, highlighting a risk of mistranslation for this particular community.
Poole
Emphasized the need for safeguards to protect privacy and livelihoods, stressing the importance of democratic input in AI decision-making processes.
Discussed the problems with AI, including algorithmic bias and the lack of understanding about how AI models work, urging appropriate regulation without stifling innovation. Asked about the current regulatory framework for addressing algorithmic bias.
Shockat Adam
Ind
Leicester South
Expressed concern over the difficulty of regulating AI due to intense lobbying. Highlighted the importance of safety and security in regulation and criticized the narrowing of focus from safety issues to cyber-crime, biohacking, and national security harms.
Harpenden and Berkhamsted
Highlights the need for more time to debate AI issues, emphasizing regulation alongside innovation. Discusses risks such as child sexual abuse material and emotional dependency on chatbots, advocating global cooperation but stressing unique opportunities for UK leadership.
Government Response
Kanishka Narayan
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
Government Response
Announced a package of reforms and investments to support AI growth in the UK, including AI growth zones, access to compute for researchers, and investment in the sovereign AI unit. Emphasised balancing growth with safety through regulatory approaches that distinguish between technology and specific use cases.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.