Written questions by Collins.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that the Government's policy on children online safety is integrated throughout all departments.

Awaiting answer.

Innovation and Technology, what artificial intelligence services or tools are used by their department; and whether the department has a contract with each provider of those services.

The Government is committed to adopting artificial intelligence in a way that is transparent, responsible and accountable to the public. Information about algorithmic and AI tools used by government departments to support decisions that affect members of ...

Innovation and Technology, which Government departments currently use artificial intelligence products or services provided by Anthropic; and which AI providers each Government department has contracted with or i

Decisions on AI products and services, including any contractual arrangements, are for individual departments to take. Information on individual contracts awarded above the relevant thresholds are published by individual departments.The Department for Sci...

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the announcement on 26 May 2026 of the cancellation of later-stage Project Gigabit contracts, what steps she is taking to prevent rural and hard-to-reach communities f

As of January 2026, Ofcom reports that 83% of premises in the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency have access to a gigabit-capable connection.For the remaining premises within Harpenden and Berkhamsted which have been removed from Project Gigabit contr...

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the announcement of the cancellation of later-stage Project Gigabit contracts on 26 May 2026, when improved broadband access will be delivered in Harpenden and Berkham

As of January 2026, Ofcom reports that 83% of premises in the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency have access to a gigabit-capable connection.For the remaining premises within Harpenden and Berkhamsted which have been removed from Project Gigabit contr...

Innovation and Technology, following the announcement on 26 May 2026 regarding the cancellation of later-stage Project Gigabit contracts, how many premises in Hertfordshire will no longer be eligible to receive g

Building Digital UK (BDUK) and CityFibre have recently agreed changes to the scope of its Project Gigabit contracts to reflect updated commercial rollout plans and wider market conditions. Updated market data shows that a significant number of premises ar...

Innovation and Technology, following the announcement on 26 May 2026 regarding the cancellation of later-stage Project Gigabit contracts, how many premises in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency will no longer

Building Digital UK (BDUK) and CityFibre have recently agreed changes to the scope of its Project Gigabit contracts to reflect updated commercial rollout plans and wider market conditions. Updated market data shows that a significant number of premises ar...

Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment her Department has made of the role of social media companies in facilitating online fraud and scams.

Online platforms, including social media, are being exploited by criminals to commit crime. Data from the banking and financial services sector suggests 53% of authorised push payment (APP) fraud cases in 2023 involved social media, messaging and call pla...

Innovation and Technology, in what way she plans to use responses to the consultation entitled Growing up in the online world: a national consultation, published on 2 March 2026, to inform policymaking; and how t

All responses to the consultation titled: Growing up in the online world: a national consultation will be analysed and summarised, with a summary published on the GOV.UK website. Ministers will consider these views alongside evidence gathered through our ...

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the stakeholder engagement in relation to the consultation entitled Growing up in the online world: a national consultation, published on

Alongside the consultation, which has had over 63,000 responses already, the Government launched a National Conversation to support broad and accessible engagement across the UK, including through schools, community settings and civil society organisation...

Innovation and Technology, what recent steps her Department has taken to develop AI content labelling to (a) support creatives and (b) reduce the impact of AI deepfakes on the creative industries.

There is an increasing use of AI tools and other forms of technical innovation in the creation and distribution of digital content, including by the creative industries. The government recognises that labelling AI-generated content can be helpful to consu...

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the accessibility of the consultation entitled Growing up in the online world: a national consultation, published on 2 March 2026, for people

The government is committed to ensuring that as many people as possible can take part in Growing up in the online world: a national consultation, including those without technical expertise.The government has produced tailored and more accessible versions...

Innovation and Technology, what steps she plans to take to include children’s perspectives in the policymaking process for generative AI.

Children’s perspectives are central to the government’s policy approach to generative AI.The Secretary of State recently brought together young people, campaigners, experts, and industry, to discuss childhood in the age of AI at Wilton Park. The event hig...

Innovation and Technology, what recent steps her Department has taken to tackle online scam advertising on social media.

While the Online Safety Act continues to be implemented, fraud is a ‘priority offence’ under the Act, with platforms already required to mitigate against criminals using their services and to remove scam content where appearing. Ofcom has existing robust powers to act where services do not fulfil regulatory obligations. In the Summer, Ofcom intends to publish its register of Category 1 and 2A services and consult on additional duties for these platforms to tackle paid-for fraudulent advertising. The Home Office’s Fraud Strategy was published on 9 March and so Government has not yet conducted a review of its impact.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the Fraud Strategy 2026 to 2029, published by the Home Office on 9 March 2026, to tackle online scams advertising on social media.

While the Online Safety Act continues to be implemented, fraud is a ‘priority offence’ under the Act, with platforms already required to mitigate against criminals using their services and to remove scam content where appearing. Ofcom has existing robust powers to act where services do not fulfil regulatory obligations. In the Summer, Ofcom intends to publish its register of Category 1 and 2A services and consult on additional duties for these platforms to tackle paid-for fraudulent advertising. The Home Office’s Fraud Strategy was published on 9 March and so Government has not yet conducted a review of its impact.

Innovation and Technology, how responses to the consultation entitled Growing up in the online world: a national consultation, published on 2 March 2026, will inform policymaking on this topic; and how those responses will be considered alongside the findings of the expert panel convened as part of the same process.

Alongside the consultation, the Government launched a National Conversation to support broad and accessible engagement across the UK, including through schools, community settings and civil society organisations, ensuring a wide range of perspectives inform policymaking.The Department is engaging clinicians, police officers and social workers through existing networks, representative bodies and cross‑government channels, including organisations such as the British Association of Social Workers, and encouraging contributions to the consultation.These views will be considered alongside insights from an expert panel of academics, to help the department understand the information from the consultation in the context of the evolving evidence base.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the accessibility of the consultation entitled Growing up in the online world: a national consultation, published on 2 March 2026, for people (a) without technical expertise and (b) with limited time.

The government is committed to ensuring that as many parents and young people as possible can take part in Growing up in the online world: a national consultation.The government has produced tailored and more accessible versions of the consultation for parents/carers and children, designed to be easier to complete and navigate, with over 45,000 responses so far.Through ongoing engagement on the National Conversation, ministers and officials will continue to host bespoke engagement reaching hundreds of civil society organisations, industry representatives, schools and community groups right across the United Kingdom, focusing on voices which are seldom heard and hard to reach.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the survey for children and young people as part of the consultation entitled Growing up in the online world: a national consultation, published on 2 March 2026.

The government is committed to ensuring that as many parents and young people as possible can take part in Growing up in the online world: a national consultation.The government has produced tailored and more accessible versions of the consultation for parents/carers and children, designed to be easier to complete and navigate, with over 45,000 responses so far.Through ongoing engagement on the National Conversation, ministers and officials will continue to host bespoke engagement reaching hundreds of civil society organisations, industry representatives, schools and community groups right across the United Kingdom, focusing on voices which are seldom heard and hard to reach.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the stakeholder engagement underpinning the consultation entitled Growing up in the online world: a national consultation, published on 2 March 2026; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) clinicians, (b) police officers and (c) social workers are included.

Alongside the consultation, the Government launched a National Conversation to support broad and accessible engagement across the UK, including through schools, community settings and civil society organisations, ensuring a wide range of perspectives inform policymaking.The Department is engaging clinicians, police officers and social workers through existing networks, representative bodies and cross‑government channels, including organisations such as the British Association of Social Workers, and encouraging contributions to the consultation.These views will be considered alongside insights from an expert panel of academics, to help the department understand the information from the consultation in the context of the evolving evidence base.

Innovation and Technology, if she will hold discussions with (a) Starlink and (b) O2 on data protection.

All organisations providing services in the UK must comply with the UK’s data protection legislation, which is enforced independently of Government by the Information Commissioner.