Written questions by Spencer.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council on their approach to the (a) coding and (b) processing of data relating to (i) biological sex and (ii) gender identity in research projects in the context of the Independent review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender, published on 19 March 2025.

No direct discussions have taken place on these matters. The review has been shared with all departments, and is available for all arms-length bodies and institutions to consider in light of ongoing work in this area.

Innovation and Technology, when his Department received the Sullivan Review of Data, Statistics and Research on Sex and Gender, published on 19 March 2025.

The Review was received by the department on 23rd September 2024.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Regulatory Innovation Office on UK research into (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing deepfake images created by generative Artificial Intelligence since July 2024.

AI-generated content is captured by the Online Safety Act where it constitutes illegal content or content harmful to children on an in-scope service. We will also criminalise the creation of non-consensual sexual deepfakes through the Crime and Policing Bill. We welcome research on this important topic. DSIT co-led the Deepfake Detection Challenge with the Home Office to assess existing capabilities and identify innovative solutions to overcome the challenges of deepfakes. In addition, we have engaged with a range of stakeholders across industry, academia and civil society to understand the potential for further detection, prevention and removal of deepfake content and identify future research priorities.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with Research England on their approach to supporting research into (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing child sexual abuse images created by generative Artificial Intelligence since July 2024.

The government has regular meetings with research and business organisations on matters relating to online safety and AI. The Online Safety Act places duties on platforms to proactively detect, prevent and remove child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including CSAM content created using AI technology. Ofcom has set out steps providers can take for these duties in draft codes of practice and will develop these iteratively. These steps include measures to detect, prevent and remove CSAM. The Act requires Ofcom to consult extensively when drafting its codes and Ofcom has an ongoing programme of research. The first code is due to come into force in Spring 2025.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with Innovate UK on their approach to supporting research into (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing child sexual abuse images created by generative Artificial Intelligence since July 2024.

The government has regular meetings with research and business organisations on matters relating to online safety and AI. The Online Safety Act places duties on platforms to proactively detect, prevent and remove child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including CSAM content created using AI technology. Ofcom has set out steps providers can take for these duties in draft codes of practice and will develop these iteratively. These steps include measures to detect, prevent and remove CSAM. The Act requires Ofcom to consult extensively when drafting its codes and Ofcom has an ongoing programme of research. The first code is due to come into force in Spring 2025.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with UKRI on their approach to supporting research into (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing deepfake images created by generative artificial intelligence since July 2024.

AI-generated content is captured by the Online Safety Act where it constitutes illegal content or content harmful to children on an in-scope service. We will also criminalise the creation of non-consensual sexual deepfakes through the Crime and Policing Bill. We welcome research on this important topic. DSIT co-led the Deepfake Detection Challenge with the Home Office to assess existing capabilities and identify innovative solutions to overcome the challenges of deepfakes. In addition, we have engaged with a range of stakeholders across industry, academia and civil society to understand the potential for further detection, prevention and removal of deepfake content and identify future research priorities.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has plans to commission a domestic research strategy for (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing deepfake images created by generative artificial intelligence.

AI-generated content is captured by the Online Safety Act where it constitutes illegal content or content harmful to children on an in-scope service. We will also criminalise the creation of non-consensual sexual deepfakes through the Crime and Policing Bill. We welcome research on this important topic. DSIT co-led the Deepfake Detection Challenge with the Home Office to assess existing capabilities and identify innovative solutions to overcome the challenges of deepfakes. In addition, we have engaged with a range of stakeholders across industry, academia and civil society to understand the potential for further detection, prevention and removal of deepfake content and identify future research priorities.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Science and Technology Facilities Council on their approach to supporting research into (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing deepfake images created by generative Artificial Intelligence since July 2024.

AI-generated content is captured by the Online Safety Act where it constitutes illegal content or content harmful to children on an in-scope service. We will also criminalise the creation of non-consensual sexual deepfakes through the Crime and Policing Bill. We welcome research on this important topic. DSIT co-led the Deepfake Detection Challenge with the Home Office to assess existing capabilities and identify innovative solutions to overcome the challenges of deepfakes. In addition, we have engaged with a range of stakeholders across industry, academia and civil society to understand the potential for further detection, prevention and removal of deepfake content and identify future research priorities.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Economic and Social Research Council on their approach to supporting research into (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing child sexual abuse images created by generative Artificial Intelligence since July 2024.

The government has regular meetings with research and business organisations on matters relating to online safety and AI. The Online Safety Act places duties on platforms to proactively detect, prevent and remove child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including CSAM content created using AI technology. Ofcom has set out steps providers can take for these duties in draft codes of practice and will develop these iteratively. These steps include measures to detect, prevent and remove CSAM. The Act requires Ofcom to consult extensively when drafting its codes and Ofcom has an ongoing programme of research. The first code is due to come into force in Spring 2025.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with the Advanced Research and Invention Agency on support for research into (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing deepfake images created by generative artificial intelligence since July 2024.

AI-generated content is captured by the Online Safety Act where it constitutes illegal content or content harmful to children on an in-scope service. We will also criminalise the creation of non-consensual sexual deepfakes through the Crime and Policing Bill. We welcome research on this important topic. DSIT co-led the Deepfake Detection Challenge with the Home Office to assess existing capabilities and identify innovative solutions to overcome the challenges of deepfakes. In addition, we have engaged with a range of stakeholders across industry, academia and civil society to understand the potential for further detection, prevention and removal of deepfake content and identify future research priorities.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Science and Technology Facilities Council on their approach to supporting research into (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing child sexual abuse images created by generative Artificial Intelligence since July 2024.

The government has regular meetings with research and business organisations on matters relating to online safety and AI. The Online Safety Act places duties on platforms to proactively detect, prevent and remove child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including CSAM content created using AI technology. Ofcom has set out steps providers can take for these duties in draft codes of practice and will develop these iteratively. These steps include measures to detect, prevent and remove CSAM. The Act requires Ofcom to consult extensively when drafting its codes and Ofcom has an ongoing programme of research. The first code is due to come into force in Spring 2025.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with universities on their approach to supporting research into (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing deepfake images created by generative Artificial Intelligence since July 2024.

AI-generated content is captured by the Online Safety Act where it constitutes illegal content or content harmful to children on an in-scope service. We will also criminalise the creation of non-consensual sexual deepfakes through the Crime and Policing Bill. We welcome research on this important topic. DSIT co-led the Deepfake Detection Challenge with the Home Office to assess existing capabilities and identify innovative solutions to overcome the challenges of deepfakes. In addition, we have engaged with a range of stakeholders across industry, academia and civil society to understand the potential for further detection, prevention and removal of deepfake content and identify future research priorities.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to regulate the (a) detection, (b) prevention and (c) removal of deepfake images created by generative Artificial Intelligence.

Government made a clear manifesto commitment to ban the creation of sexually explicit deepfake images and we are bringing forward legislation to honour that commitment in the Crime and Policing Bill.Under the Online Safety Act, it is already a criminal offence to share or threaten to share a sexually explicit deepfake.We have designated the most harmful forms of deepfakes as priority illegal content, including child sexual exploitation and abuse and intimate image abuse. Services in scope will need to take proactive steps to prevent priority illegal content from appearing on their service and remove it quickly when it does.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Government Office for Technology Transfer on their approach to supporting market innovation into (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing deepfake images created by generative Artificial Intelligence since July 2024.

The Secretary of State has not had any conversations with the Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT) on this topic. GOTT helps to accelerate government’s innovations towards the market to impact growth and deliver new products and services for citizens.Government, however, welcomes research on this important topic and has engaged with a wide range of stakeholders across industry, academia and civil society to understand the potential for further detection, prevention and removal of harmful and illegal generative AI content and to identify future research priorities.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with the Economic and Social Research Council on supporting research into (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing deepfake images created by generative artificial intelligence since July 2024.

AI-generated content is captured by the Online Safety Act where it constitutes illegal content or content harmful to children on an in-scope service. We will also criminalise the creation of non-consensual sexual deepfakes through the Crime and Policing Bill. We welcome research on this important topic. DSIT co-led the Deepfake Detection Challenge with the Home Office to assess existing capabilities and identify innovative solutions to overcome the challenges of deepfakes. In addition, we have engaged with a range of stakeholders across industry, academia and civil society to understand the potential for further detection, prevention and removal of deepfake content and identify future research priorities.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions has he had with Horizon Europe on their approach to supporting research into (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing deepfake images created by generative artificial intelligence since July 2024.

AI-generated content is captured by the Online Safety Act where it constitutes illegal content or content harmful to children on an in-scope service. We will also criminalise the creation of non-consensual sexual deepfakes through the Crime and Policing Bill. We welcome research on this important topic. DSIT co-led the Deepfake Detection Challenge with the Home Office to assess existing capabilities and identify innovative solutions to overcome the challenges of deepfakes. In addition, we have engaged with a range of stakeholders across industry, academia and civil society to understand the potential for further detection, prevention and removal of deepfake content and identify future research priorities.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with the Arts and Humanities Research Council on their approach to supporting research into (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing deepfake images created by generative artificial intelligence since July 2024.

AI-generated content is captured by the Online Safety Act where it constitutes illegal content or content harmful to children on an in-scope service. We will also criminalise the creation of non-consensual sexual deepfakes through the Crime and Policing Bill. We welcome research on this important topic. DSIT co-led the Deepfake Detection Challenge with the Home Office to assess existing capabilities and identify innovative solutions to overcome the challenges of deepfakes. In addition, we have engaged with a range of stakeholders across industry, academia and civil society to understand the potential for further detection, prevention and removal of deepfake content and identify future research priorities.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with Research England on their approach to supporting research into (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing deepfake images created by generative artificial intelligence since July 2024.

AI-generated content is captured by the Online Safety Act where it constitutes illegal content or content harmful to children on an in-scope service. We will also criminalise the creation of non-consensual sexual deepfakes through the Crime and Policing Bill. We welcome research on this important topic. DSIT co-led the Deepfake Detection Challenge with the Home Office to assess existing capabilities and identify innovative solutions to overcome the challenges of deepfakes. In addition, we have engaged with a range of stakeholders across industry, academia and civil society to understand the potential for further detection, prevention and removal of deepfake content and identify future research priorities.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with Innovate UK on their approach to supporting research into (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing deepfake images created by generative Artificial Intelligence since July 2024.

AI-generated content is captured by the Online Safety Act where it constitutes illegal content or content harmful to children on an in-scope service. We will also criminalise the creation of non-consensual sexual deepfakes through the Crime and Policing Bill. We welcome research on this important topic. DSIT co-led the Deepfake Detection Challenge with the Home Office to assess existing capabilities and identify innovative solutions to overcome the challenges of deepfakes. In addition, we have engaged with a range of stakeholders across industry, academia and civil society to understand the potential for further detection, prevention and removal of deepfake content and identify future research priorities.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with business stakeholders on the Government's approach to supporting research into (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing deepfake images created by generative artificial intelligence since July 2024.

AI-generated content is captured by the Online Safety Act where it constitutes illegal content or content harmful to children on an in-scope service. We will also criminalise the creation of non-consensual sexual deepfakes through the Crime and Policing Bill. We welcome research on this important topic. DSIT co-led the Deepfake Detection Challenge with the Home Office to assess existing capabilities and identify innovative solutions to overcome the challenges of deepfakes. In addition, we have engaged with a range of stakeholders across industry, academia and civil society to understand the potential for further detection, prevention and removal of deepfake content and identify future research priorities.