Written questions by Dhesi.

Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions he has had with AI developers on material used to train generative AI models.

The Government is committed to hearing a broad range of views to ensure it meets all 50 recommendations outlined in the Action Plan. We have recently consulted with a variety of stakeholders, which included AI developers, to inform our approach to copyright and AI.Ministerial meetings are published according to normal transparency requirements on the gov.uk website.

Innovation and Technology, what recent steps he has taken to ensure that people who rely on the Public Switched Telephone Network can migrate to broadband before January 2027.

The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is the technology underpinning analogue landline connections. The PSTN is failing – with a 45% increase in major incidents between 2023-2024. Industry is migrating the network to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which requires a minimum speed of just 0.5mbps. For current landline-only customers it will be possible to switch to a VoIP landline without purchasing a general internet connection.The Government is prioritising broadband rollout, aiming for nationwide gigabit coverage by 2030. Through Project-Gigabit, government is providing subsidy to ensure premises left out of commercial rollout plans can access a gigabit capable broadband connection.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to ensure there will be no disruption to telecare users' service with the end of the Public Switched Telephone Network.

The Government is determined to ensure that any risks arising from the industry-led migration of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are mitigated for all customers across the UK.Communication providers and network operators signed voluntary charters in December 2023 and March 2024, ensuring their commitment to protect vulnerable consumers during the PSTN migration. On 18 November 2024, the major communication providers agreed to adhere to further safeguards in the Non-Voluntary Migrations Checklist. Safeguards include signing data sharing agreements with local authorities to identify telecare users and a commitment to ensuring no disruption to telecare users' service when their landlines are migrated. As of April 2025, over 90% of local authorities have signed a data sharing agreement with at least one communication provider.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the use of AI in his Department on security.

The UK government is dedicated to leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance public services securely. The AI Playbook for the UK Government (p. 74) includes an assessment of the risks coming from the use of AI. The Playbook includes worked scenarios for AI use which detail potential risk impacts. All AI services must adhere to Secure by Design principles and conduct risk assessments, including Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs).The Government Digital Service consults the AI Security Institute within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology for specialist guidance when evaluating the security of AI-based tools.

Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions he has had with Ofcom on its enforcement powers relating to the non-consensual posting of intimate images.

The DSIT Secretary of State and officials regularly meet with Ofcom to discuss the Online Safety Act and enforcement. The Online Safety Act gives platforms new duties to proactively tackle the most harmful content on their services. This includes intimate image abuse, which is a priority harm under the regulations. Ofcom has robust enforcement powers to sanction companies who do not comply with these new duties. It can require companies to take measures to return to compliance, impose substantial fines, or apply to the courts for business disruption measures.

Innovation and Technology, what the median age is of computers issued to officials in their Department.

The median age of laptops and desktop computers in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is 1.5 years.

Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions he has had with (a) local businesses and (b) residents on the coverage of full-fibre broadband in (i) Slough constituency and (ii) South East England.

The government is committed to delivering 2030 nationwide gigabit connectivity coverage, with 86% of premises now able to access a gigabit-capable connection thanks to a pro-competition regulatory environment. There is now a thriving market of over 100 providers, investing over £40bn rolling out gigabit broadband all over the UK.Project Gigabit primarily focuses on the rural areas which are the hardest to reach commercially. We anticipate that the majority of urban areas will receive gigabit-capable broadband through commercial investment. While there is no planned build in Slough under Project Gigabit, the government continues to review the best ways to address gaps in coverage in urban areas.CityFibre and Gigaclear are delivering Project Gigabit-funded contracts across the South East of England. Alongside them, we continue to engage closely with local businesses and residents regarding rollout.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help increase the numbers of leading international scientists who choose to undertake their research in the UK.

The UK boasts a world-leading science base, supported by top universities and research institutions. We are open for business in science and technology and aim to be the destination of choice for globally mobile top talent.DSIT is committed to working with the R&D sector, including academia and industry, to attract and retain top talent in the UK. This includes funding through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the National Academies, which offer prestigious fellowships and professorships.The UK's association with the Horizon Europe programme has also opened more opportunities for British scientists and researchers, providing access to extensive funding streams and a collaborative environment that attracts top-tier talent globally.

Innovation and Technology, what estimate he has made of the number of data centres built in England in each of the last five years.

The Government has not historically collected figures on the growth of data centre capacity but has monitored the market periodically and through industry engagement. Other sources for this historical data are available, for example through Tech UK or CBRE's market outlooks.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs on the implications of the use of Artificial Intelligence on the water supply.

My department has discussed the implications of Artificial Intelligence with DEFRA, and representatives from UK water companies, on multiple occasions. We also engage the AI data centre industry to understand how water is used and explore potential alternatives or ways to minimise any potential impact on supplies and output of wastewater. Data centres, and the compute they provide, will also play a major role in powering the high-tech solutions to environmental challenges.

Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment he has made of the availability of full-fibre broadband in Slough constituency.

The government is committed to delivering 2030 nationwide gigabit connectivity coverage, with 86% of premises now able to access a gigabit-capable connection thanks to a pro-competition regulatory environment. There is now a thriving market of over 100 providers, investing over £40bn rolling out gigabit broadband all over the UK.Project Gigabit primarily focuses on the rural areas which are the hardest to reach commercially. We anticipate that the majority of urban areas will receive gigabit-capable broadband through commercial investment. While there is no planned build in Slough under Project Gigabit, the government continues to review the best ways to address gaps in coverage in urban areas.CityFibre and Gigaclear are delivering Project Gigabit-funded contracts across the South East of England. Alongside them, we continue to engage closely with local businesses and residents regarding rollout.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he has taken to increase coverage of full-fibre broadband availability in Slough constituency.

The government is committed to delivering 2030 nationwide gigabit connectivity coverage, with 86% of premises now able to access a gigabit-capable connection thanks to a pro-competition regulatory environment. There is now a thriving market of over 100 providers, investing over £40bn rolling out gigabit broadband all over the UK.Project Gigabit primarily focuses on the rural areas which are the hardest to reach commercially. We anticipate that the majority of urban areas will receive gigabit-capable broadband through commercial investment. While there is no planned build in Slough under Project Gigabit, the government continues to review the best ways to address gaps in coverage in urban areas.CityFibre and Gigaclear are delivering Project Gigabit-funded contracts across the South East of England. Alongside them, we continue to engage closely with local businesses and residents regarding rollout.

Innovation and Technology, whether driving licences available through the gov.uk app will have integration with (a) Apple Wallet, (b) Google Wallet, (c) Samsung Wallet and (d) other common on-device wallets.

We recognise there may be value in government documents, such as the digital driving licence, being available through private sector wallets that have been certified as part of the government's Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework. There are no current plans but we are open to exploring this in the future. Currently, Apple, Google and Samsung Wallets are not certified, but may choose to become so in the future.

Innovation and Technology, whether his Department is taking steps to allow people to retain their mobile numbers when changing mobile contracts while retaining the same network provider.

Consumers can retain their existing mobile number when renewing their contract or moving to a new contract.Ofcom has in place rules on retaining an existing number when moving providers, known as "porting", but these only apply when the consumer is leaving one provider and joining a new one.We would expect mobile operators retaining customers who are changing contract to be motivated to help them retain their existing number should they wish to. People should speak directly to their provider if they are experiencing any issues.

Innovation and Technology, how their Department defines strategy.

The definition is detailed in the Functional Standards Common Glossary, which is published on the gov.uk website.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 21 November 2024 to Question 14202, whether Ministers in his Department have had recent meetings with representatives of (a) Meta, (b) Snap inc. and (c) X.

The Government meets regularly with a range of stakeholders related to online safety, including social media platforms, to discuss implementation of the Online Safety Act, and the duties it will place on services to tackle illegal content, and content harmful to children, on their sites.Ministerial meetings and engagements are published through quarterly transparency reports on gov.uk.

Innovation and Technology, what steps they are taking to use (a) artificial intelligence and (b) data to help increase their Department's productivity.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is committed to improving its productivity, including through artificial intelligence and effective use of data.For example, approximately 1,500 staff across DSIT and arms-length bodies are participating in the cross-government Microsoft 365 Copilot experiment led by CDDO. Staff are using Copilot to summarise policy papers and briefings, support initial document drafting, to extract insights from data, and retrieve information within the department or online.We use data and analysis to inform decision making in the department, identify potential improvements, and ensure optimal allocation of funding/resources. We also make use of secure data platforms and reproducible analytical pipelines for data analysis, thus enabling faster, data-driven decisions. We draw on a range of resources, published on GOV.UK, to inform our AI and data usage. For example, the Generative AI Framework, the Data Maturity Assessment, the Ethics, Transparency and Accountability Framework, the Data Ethics Framework, and the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard.The department also has access to the Central Digital & Data Office for expert advice.We will continue to regularly review our usage of AI and data to maximise productivity benefits for staff and the public.