Written questions by Hayes.

What steps he is taking to improve access to NHS audiology services in rural areas.

Since June 2022, 42 integrated care boards (ICBs) across England have been responsible for arranging National Health Service healthcare services, including audiology, which meet the needs of their respective populations.ICBs are responsible for developing a joint plan with its members and partner local authorities, arranging the provision of health services in the integrated care system area and managing the NHS budget.

How many serving police officers had their vetting clearance withdrawn in each of the last five years.

This data is not held by the Home Office. The administration of police vetting, including the granting and withdrawal of clearances, is managed at a local level by forces.As announced by the Home Secretary in October, the Government will be bringing forward regulations on police vetting for the first time which will introduce a statutory duty for officers to hold and maintain vetting clearance and provide a bespoke route to dismiss officers who are unable to do so.

Whether NHS Resolution has used artificial intelligence to assist with casework in the last 12 months.

NHS Resolution (NHSR) manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England. NHSR has advised that it does not currently use artificial intelligence (AI), in the broadest definitions, for casework processing purposes. The only AI in use currently for casework at NHSR is a document search tool which is used to rapidly locate documents.

For what purposes the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country. Over the last 12 months, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has: Delivered the final year of an ambitious 4-year AI Science and Technology (S&T) Programme which has conducted experimentation across a range of defence use-cases for AI and developed important enabling areas of research such as AI ethics and AI assurance.Provided support to wider defence AI activities through the Defence AI Centre, for example Dstl’s expertise on AI Assurance significantly informed the recent publication of MOD guidance on Dependable AI in Defence, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/jsp-936-dependable-artificial-intelligence-ai-in-defence-part-1-directive.Worked with international partners on AI, such as the AUKUS Pillar 2 experimentation on developing Resilient and Autonomous Artificial Intelligence Technologies in order to improve international interoperability for AI-enabled systems.https://www.gov.uk/government/news/aukus-takes-another-step-forward-with-real-time-ai-trials.Worked closely with industry and academic partners on AI, for example via their Agile Delivery Partner which enables joint multi-disciplinary teams and academic research centres to transition civilian AI techniques into Defence applications and help strengthen the UK’s Defence AI Ecosystem.Continued to develop approaches to using AI to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its work, for example piloting secure access to Large Language Models and also trialling the use of AI techniques to improve exploitation of its large database of Defence Science and Technology Reports. Dstl can draw on a range of resources, published on GOV.UK, to inform AI usage. This includes the Generative AI Framework for HMG, which has been superseded by the AI Playbook for the UK Government, as well as JSP936 covering dependable AI in defence.

For what purposes the Pensions Ombudsman has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country. The Pensions Ombudsman has not engaged in the use of artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

For what purposes the Government Property Agency has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country. The Redbox AI service provided by Cabinet Office is the primary service the GPA has used over the last few months.The Government Property Agency has used artificial intelligence primarily to summarise content such as policy documents and meetings. Subject to Spending Review (SR), the GPA plans to explore how AI can be used to create efficiencies and improvements in how property is managed, such as validation of building design specifications, preventive maintenance, optimising building use and improving energy efficiency.

If she will make an estimate of the number of people working illegally in the gig economy in England and Wales.

The Home Office does not hold the requested data. Recent joint work between the Office for National Statistics and the Home Office explains the complexities of measuring numbers in this area. Measuring illegal migration: our current view - Office for National Statistics.

For what purposes the Office for Nuclear Regulation has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country. Over the last 12 months ONR has explored the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support its efficiency and productivity. ONR’s use of AI has been exploratory and is subject to robust oversight from an internal AI governance group. Uses include:Drafting press releases and communications updates; and,Testing the capability of AI to clarify and simplify guidance documents. ONR’s exploration of AI is continuing and includes national and international collaboration on regulating AI. This is in addition to working with the wider nuclear industry to assess potential opportunities.

For what purposes the Government Legal Department has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country.The Government Legal Department is making limited use of generative AI (“Gen AI”) powered by large language models. Since December 2024, GLD has been running a trial of Microsoft’s M365 Copilot, which now has 100 participants and will shortly increase to 150. GLD’s AI Programme is considering where AI may be used and provide tangible benefits within specific work areas and processes, including proposed testing of online legal research tools with Gen AI-based capabilities.

For what purposes the Submarine Delivery Agency has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services and boost living standards for working people across the country. The Submarine Delivery Agency sees the importance and value of using AI, and is actively exploring ways in which it can be used to deliver our outputs in a safe and ethical way. The SDA has appointed a Responsible AI Senior Owner (RAISO) in accordance with Departmental policy and taken part in the Ministry of Defence-wide trial of Microsoft Copilot. The SDA is in the commissioning and discovery phases of several AI projects across a number of office-related processes in line with the Defence AI Strategy, co-ordinated with the Defence AI Centre and in accordance with the Departmental policies.

For what purposes the Office of the Public Guardian has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country. A small number of staff in Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) are trialling the use of Microsoft 365 Co-pilot as part of a Ministry of Justice wide pilot, looking to reduce time spent on repetitive administrative tasks. OPG does not use AI in its decision-making processes. OPG can draw on a range of resources, published on GOV.UK, to inform AI usage. For example, the Generative AI Ethics Framework, the Ethics, Transparency and Accountability Framework, the Data Ethics Framework, the AI Opportunities Action Plan and the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard.

For what purposes NHS Blood and Transplant has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country.Over the last 12 months NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has used AI as part of a number of proof of concepts to explore how AI could benefit NHSBT, however none of these are live. This includes an AI agent to answer online donor questions about donating, models to forecast donor attendance at blood collection sessions, and models to help staff collecting blood answer questions on the policy and standard operating procedures.NHSBT can draw on a range of resources, published on the GOV.UK website, to inform AI usage. For example, the AI Playbook for the UK Government, with which NHSBT are aligning work.

For what purposes the Health Services Safety Investigations Body has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country.The Health Services Safety Investigations Body has not used AI in the last 12 months. They have set up an internal group to look at both the use of AI internally and to consider how they investigate emerging patient safety risks associated with AI. This work is at an early stage.

For what purposes UK Export Finance has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country.UK Export Finance (UKEF) is currently exploring various scenarios and use cases where AI can assist the department. This involves conducting internal trials and learning exercises to better understand AI's potential. Throughout this process, UKEF remains committed to adhering to the government's AI policy and guidance.

If she will publish a list of occupations of people arrested for working illegally in the UK.

The Home Office does not hold a comprehensive list of the occupations for which individuals have been arrested for illegal working but the focus of recent enforcement work has included car washes, nail bars, construction sites ad takeaway restaurants.

How much of the £70 million investment for replacing older radiotherapy machines will be allocated to United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust.

The funding for new radiotherapy machines will support the recovery of cancer waiting times and help ensure that patients have access to the most up-to-date treatments. Those trusts which have been allocated funding for a new machine from this £70 million central fund will be informed soon.The £70 million of central funding is not intended to replace every machine aged 10 years and older, and replacement of radiotherapy machines remains the responsibility of local systems.

How many (a) hotels and (b) other properties are being used to accommodate asylum seekers in Lincolnshire.

Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release. The data can also be broken down by local authority: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab).

If she will publish an anonymised list of Non Crime Hate Incidents investigated by police forces in England and Wales.

The Home Office does not currently centrally collate information on non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs) recorded or investigated by individual police forces – this data is held by individual forces.The Home Secretary has been clear that a consistent and common-sense approach must be taken with NCHIs. The Government has also been clear that its top priority for policing is delivering on the safer streets mission to rebuild neighbourhood policing, restoring public confidence, and making progress on the ambition to halve knife crime and violence against women and girls.The Home Office has agreed that the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), supported by the College of Policing, will conduct a review on the use and effectiveness of NCHIs, including looking at force-level data.

For what purposes the UK Hydrographic Office has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country. Over the last 12 months, the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has been assessing and experimenting with a number of AI and machine learning tools for general productivity tasks as well as more targeted hydrographic use cases. These are listed below. Trial and evaluation tools These tools are currently being used and assessed but have not reached production status.The beta Admiralty Virtual Ports product uses Kaedim, a Generative AI tool to create 3-D models from 2-D images of features (e.g., photographs of buildings). This enables the building of a 3-D Digital Twin that can provide richer maritime information. Kaedim is a SaaS solution.The Scientific Analysis Group have been using UKHO developed machine learning models for automated cleaning of bathymetric data. These are mostly used for Defence requests. All outputs are post validated by experts and feedback is being collected where possible.Our Remote Sensing team have been using an internally developed machine learning model for automated extraction of coastline from satellite imagery. This tool has been used for a variety of use cases. Outputs are post validated by experts and feedback is collected where possible.Software developers and Data teams have been using AI coding assistants as part of a central government trial. Quality and testing standards have remained the same to make sure the quality of code matches expectations.The UKHO internal communications and marketing teams have been using the Government Communication Service Assist tool for creating and editing internal communications in line with Cabinet Office guidelines.The marketing team have been trialling an AI-based media monitoring/social listening service named Signal.ai to track media mentions and share of voice across digital social media channels.Working with third-party, the UKHO has used AI tools to generate videos supporting ongoing culture work. Outputs are assessed by our People team.UKHO Data Acquisition, which offers training services to other hydrographic offices, has been trialling an AI tool to detect whether students have used AI to generate material.Initial experiments These are early-stage experiments that may later turn into larger projects dependent on results. Our data science team has been experimenting with large language models for the purposes of extracting pertinent information from incoming textual data. For example, the UKHO ingests numerous Notices to Mariners from around the world, which need to be assessed as part of keeping maritime products up to date.Data scientists and engineers have been working to make the UKHO Mine Hunting Capability machine learning ready. As part of this, there has been initial experiments with machine learning to inform the data and metadata required to support future testing of commercial offerings or tools developed by other government departments.Experiments have run into using large language models for summarising internal information using Retrieval Augmented Generation architecture. Future work around this use case is likely to involve commercial products, e.g., Microsoft Copilot for business.The Strategic Business Intelligence function have been experimenting with Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini to augment horizon scanning and news gathering. The experiments are proving successful although there are some concerns with the veracity of information provided and traditional research is still being used to validate.General usage of AI tools such as those bundled with Microsoft Teams Premium for meeting summarisation and minute taking. Currently, none of these tools have associated ATRS records. The UKHO is working with GDS on our algorithmic transparency approach, as there are a range of established tools and algorithms that are being used that could fall under scope as well as these new tools. An initial mapping has been completed.The UKHO uses several government resources to aid with AI guidance and ensure that AI tools are adopted in a safe way. This includes the Generative AI Framework for HMG, which has been superseded by the AI Playbook for the UK Government, as well as JSP936 covering dependable AI in defence. Additionally, conversations have been taking place with MOD around the results of their trial of Microsoft Copilot for Business, as adoption of this toolset could cover common office productivity use cases that are currently being serviced by several different tools.

For what purposes the Government Actuary’s Department has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

The Government Actuary’s Department has made use of artificial intelligence in the last twelve months primarily by focusing on internal efficiencies and department wide communications and team meetings. Where appropriate the Government Actuary’s Department has also used AI to help provide more value to clients, for example by summarising responses to technical consultations. This is compliant with Central Digital and Data Office guidance. The department continues to seek opportunities where the innovative use of artificial intelligence can drive efficiency and add value to clients within Government, whilst safeguarding public data and information.