Written questions by Hayes.

For what purposes the Human Tissue Authority 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 Human Tissue Authority (HTA) has used AI in the form of Microsoft Co-pilot and the Government Communication Service Assist tool. These tools are used to assist the authority to be more responsive and targeted in their regulatory activity, by highlighting opportunities of efficiency and lever changes in performance and practice. This includes the Government Communication Service Assist tool supporting communications professionals in HTA in a number of areas including: the production of first draft communications products; stakeholder management; research; and media handling.The HTA can draw on a range of resources, published on the GOV.UK website, to inform AI usage. The HTA also has access to the Government Digital Service, part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, for expert advice.

For what purposes the Standards and Testing 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 Standards and Testing Agency (STA) has used AI to create videos to support schools and local authorities with preparing for and administering the national curriculum assessments. It is also trialling the use of large language models to create stakeholder training materials.STA can draw on a range of resources, published on GOV.UK, to inform AI usage. For example, the Generative AI Framework, the Ethics, Transparency and Accountability Framework, the Data Ethics Framework, the AI Opportunities Action Plan and the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard.

What steps she is taking to help support (a) skills development and (b) training in the maritime sector.

DfT remains committed to delivering a maritime workforce, with the skills and people it needs, both now and for the future.DfT works with the Maritime Skills Commission in assessing the sector’s current and future skills needs. DfT and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency are working with industry to future-proof seafarer training through the Cadet Training and Modernisation Programme and the Ratings Review. This will ensure UK seafarers remain highly skilled, and equipped with the training to handle new vessels, fuels and future technologies.DfT supports 50% of the cost of cadet training through the £18 million Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) fund and is updating the 2017 SMarT Review and Seafarer Projections report. These reports provide the evidence base and analysis for SMarT and the UK’s need for seafarers over the next decade.

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

The UK Debt Management Office (“DMO”) has not used artificial intelligence (“AI”) functionality in the past 12 months. However, the DMO continues to explore the potential use of AI to support its core objectives, whilst taking account of issues including its security and resilience, as well as its overall suitability to support aspects of the DMO’s critical mission to deliver government financing.

For what purposes the Crown Commercial Service 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 Crown Commercial Service’s (CCS) vision is to integrate AI tools and models into its operational fabric, to deliver insights to commercial decision makers, make CCS simpler, quicker and easier to use, and create efficiencies.CCS is currently experimenting with AI-driven solutions in development environments to improve customer access and usability of its services. Pending successful testing and evaluation, CCS plans to integrate these tools into our services and processes.

What steps he is taking to promote the Business Growth Service with small business owners in Lincolnshire.

We are engaging widely with stakeholders across the country, including with small business owners and entrepreneurs, on the design, and the implementation of the Business Growth Service (BGS) later this year, to ensure that we deliver on our mission to make it easier for businesses to get the support they need to grow and thrive.

How many inflatable boats used to smuggle people across the English Channel were seized in (a) 2022, (b) 2023 and (c) 2024.

The information requested is set out in the below table: Boats2022142120235152024751

For what purposes NHS Property Services 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.NHS Property Services (NHSPS) is at an early stage of trialling AI technology to enhance its service offer for customers and to support its staff. This includes integrating AI into its cyber security, piloting its use as an assistant for customer support advisers, using it for data analysis on its staff survey results and employee development offer, and trialling Microsoft 365 Copilot. An AI ethics framework has been established across NHSPS to ensure appropriate controls and governance regarding AI usage.NHSPS can draw on a range of resources, published on the GOV.UK website, to inform AI usage.

For what purposes the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

This is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have asked its Chief Regulator, Sir Ian Bauckham, to write to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Innovation and Technology, for what purposes the Met 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.The Met Office is at the forefront of public sector deployment of AI and has an organisation-wide change programme that fosters a culture of AI innovation: AI4Everyone. It has been using AI in a wide range of applications, for example working with The Alan Turing Institute to co-develop a machine learning model for weather prediction known as FastNet. It has also started using AI in climate science applications through its AI4Climate Programme and is deploying AI across its internal operations to deliver efficiencies, improved internal processes and to stimulate innovative new services. It will begin publishing records through the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard shortly.All Arms Length Bodies can draw on a range of resources, published on GOV.UK, to inform AI usage and have access to the Government Digital Service, part of the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology, for expert advice.

How many people have been (a) charged and (b) convicted for offences relating to supplying small boat parts to gangs involved in smuggling people across the English channel in (i) 2022, (ii) 2023 and (iii) 2024.

As the Rt Hon Member will be aware, the recently introduced Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill proposes a new offence relating to the supply of articles for use in Organised Immigration Crime, through which we will seek to clamp down on the activities to which his question refers. In respect of charges and convictions in pervious years where these activities were a factor, this data is not held centrally.

How many people arriving on small boats seeking asylum underwent scientific age checks in 2024.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Answer I gave to the Shadow Home Secretary on 2 January 2025 to Question UIN 18967.

Communities and Local Government, for what purposes the Planning Inspectorate has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is key to delivering the outcomes set out in the blueprint for modern digital government published on 21 January 2025. The policy paper can be found on gov.uk here.The Planning Inspectorate has undertaken the following exploratory work in relation to AI in the past 12 months:· The Inspectorate issued guidance on use of artificial intelligence as part of any appeal, application or examination being dealt with by the Planning Inspectorate.· The Inspectorate established an Artificial Intelligence Governance Board as per the government’s Generative AI Framework.· The Inspectorate investigated the use of Artificial Intelligence tools to support in the redaction of the data and documents it publishes, as necessary.· The Inspectorate investigated the use of tools powered by artificial intelligence to create visualisations and extract insights from data about casework for internal staff use only.· The Inspectorate undertook the first phase of internal testing of Microsoft CoPilot tools for staff to establish their impact and ensure appropriate security measures are in place.The Planning Inspectorate can draw on a range of resources, published on GOV.UK, to inform AI usage. For example, the Generative AI Framework, the Ethics, Transparency and Accountability Framework, the Data Ethics Framework, the AI Opportunities Action Plan and the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard.The Planning Inspectorate also has access to the Government Digital Service, part of the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology, for expert advice.

Food and Rural Affairs, for what purposes the Forestry Commission 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. Forest Research, an agency of the Forestry Commission, is primarily trialling Machine Learning to automate some of the basic tasks currently performed by scientists to support its specialist work. This algorithmic learning can be trained using established and mature techniques on new and existing datasets to classify complex, multidimensional data. This is carefully considered and monitored for accuracy and performance and viewed in the context of evolving practice and recommendations of secure, sustainable and ethical Artificial Intelligence.

What steps his Department is taking to encourage more people to become blood donors in Lincolnshire.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation in England.Throughout the year, NHSBT runs campaigns to attract new donors, such as the ‘gift of blood’ campaign in the run up to Christmas. This involved paid media activity across several platforms including, social media, radio and TV. NHSBT also worked with the BBC’s Casualty to support development of its Christmas special focussing on the need for blood. To reach new audiences and find new ways to inspire donors to donate, NHSBT partners with organisations such as Disney, the Civil Service, NHS Trusts and Integrated Care Boards.This activity takes place across England, including in the county of Lincolnshire.

How much money was seized from gangs involved in smuggling people across the English Channel in (a) 2022, (b) 2023 and (c) 2024.

Seized/Frozen2022/23£7,543,7462023/24£2,616,5092024/25£13,376,869 Seized and frozen assets relating to Organised Immigration Crime, Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery for the financial years requested is available. These would include much of the seized assets in relation to people smuggling across the Channel.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed Grimsby to Walpole National Grid pylon project on house prices in affected areas in Lincolnshire.

The Government does not assess the impact of new transmission network infrastructure on house prices. However, landowners, businesses, and homeowners that have electrical equipment, such as pylons or towers, sited on their land have the right to compensation for the value of their land, as well as for any losses or expenses incurred. Acquiring authorities can also put in place discretionary schemes offering additional compensation.

For what purposes the Valuation Office 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 VOA is conducting initial discovery work to identify where Generative AI tools might improve productivity and quality, including through trialling Microsoft’s Copilot tools.

For what purposes the Food Standards 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 Food Standards Agency (FSA) is using AI, both traditional and generative, for a range of purposes. Using traditional AI, we have focused on pattern detection for food risk identification using, and developing, approaches to extract and structure information contained in documents, from shipping manifests to webpages. We aim to see food safety and authenticity risks before the food lands on the United Kingdom’s shores.For generative AI, we are piloting its use in our front-line services in the field by using mobile based AI applications. The goal of this is to streamline our inspection of meat businesses by having AI help collate notes during the inspection process, which will allow uniformity in reporting and improve data quality. We aim for this to improve the existing method, which involves inspectors carrying large amounts of equipment while taking written, paper-based, observations.We have also deployed generative AI tools to improve data quality. As most data from national and international food alert systems is unstructured text, considerable human effort has been required to extract the relevant information and then categorise it to a standardised format. The aim is to reduce the manual work required in improving data quality, which will allow colleagues to spend more time deriving insights from data rather than cleaning data, while also improving the speediness of the response.The FSA can draw on a range of resources, published on the GOV.UK website, to inform AI usage. For example, the Generative AI Framework, the Ethics, Transparency and Accountability Framework, the Data Ethics Framework, the AI Opportunities Action Plan, and the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard.The FSA also has access to the Government Digital Service, part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, for expert advice.

What steps he is taking to help armed forces veterans access mental health support in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

Across England, NHS England commissions Op COURAGE, the integrated mental health and wellbeing service for veterans. The Op COURAGE Midlands service, run by the Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, covers the South Holland area.In the South Holland and The Deepings constituency and in Lincolnshire, veterans can self-refer to Op COURAGE, or a referral can be made on their behalf by a clinician or a family member. The service has been designed to support veterans from all areas, and is delivered from a range of locations, including National Health Service trusts, general practices, Poppy Shops, veteran hubs, and drop-in centres. Elements of the service may also be provided online if this is clinically appropriate.Whilst Op COURAGE provides a bespoke model of care for veterans, we recognise that there are some veterans who prefer to access mainstream NHS services such as Talking Therapies.