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The Secretary of State confessed last month that business leaders have urged him not to return to the political uncertainty around our relationship with the EU. The Prime Minister has now completely ignored him, and them, and says that the UK could pursue a customs union or a single market, or go all the way back in. He clearly was not in the 2017 to 2019 Parliament; he has barely been in this one. Will the Secretary of State tell businesses what the Prime Minister’s preferred option is?
The Secretary of State confessed last month that business leaders have urged him not to return to the political uncertainty around our relationship with the EU. The Prime Minister has now completely ignored him, and them, and says that the UK could pursue a customs union or a single market, or go all the way back in. He clearly was not in the 2017 to 2019 Parliament; he has barely been in this one. Will the Secretary of State tell businesses what the Prime Minister’s preferred option is?
I am grateful for that question. I am proud of the trade deals that this Government have done with the rest of the world—we have talked about India, the Gulf, South Korea and Switzerland—and we have retained membership of the comprehensive and progressive agreement for trans-Pacific partnership. However, there is uncertainty from action taken on the European side; that is the Prime Minister’s point. The “Made in Europe” agenda is one of great uncertainty for UK businesses. It is primarily about automative and aerospace at this stage, but it runs through some 50 different bits of EU legislation. The Prime Minister is right to have the aspiration for a closer trading relationship with the EU—I support that entirely—that is consistent with our work with the rest of the world. We must get to a point where we remove uncertainty by getting clarity on what this will mean for the long-term future of our relationship with the European Union.
The Secretary of State could not say what the Prime Minister’s preferred relationship is, and I think that is because the Prime Minister himself does not actually have a clue. Today, the Business Secretary trumpeted the free trade agreement struck with India; he took northern mayors, and a rep from Man City, on his trip this week to expand that. Sir Keir Starmer spoke about his pride and relief at telling Jaguar Land Rover workers that he had struck a trade deal on cars with America that would save their jobs. Those deals are possible because we are not in the EU. Can the Secretary of State guarantee that in the UK-EU trade talks that are under way, the Prime Minister will offer no concessions that could jeopardise our non-EU trade deals?
The Secretary of State could not say what the Prime Minister’s preferred relationship is, and I think that is because the Prime Minister himself does not actually have a clue. Today, the Business Secretary trumpeted the free trade agreement struck with India; he took northern mayors, and a rep from Man City, on his trip this week to expand that. Sir Keir Starmer spoke about his pride and relief at telling Jaguar Land Rover workers that he had struck a trade deal on cars with America that would save their jobs. Those deals are possible because we are not in the EU. Can the Secretary of State guarantee that in the UK-EU trade talks that are under way, the Prime Minister will offer no concessions that could jeopardise our non-EU trade deals?
First, we took 200 businesses to India; the mayors took their own delegation. The Manchester City representative came with the Mayor of Greater Manchester, rather than with me. I wish to put that on the record to avoid any lack of clarity. A lot of what the Conservative Government promised on trade but were not able to deliver has been delivered by this Government, and of course I am proud of that. The fact is that the Prime Minister is right to have that aspiration for a closer trading relationship—seven of our top-10 trading partners are other EU member states—and to seek clarity for the future. That is what he is doing, and I support him in that.
It is British Beauty Week—I can see you have been celebrating, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I am sure the Secretary of State has been, too—but it is tough out there for our salons. The industry lost one in five employees last year, which is the largest loss of any job type in the UK. Many will have been young people starting their careers in the industry, and few salons can afford to employ and train them because they are getting hammered by the jobs tax, soaring business rates and higher utility bills. What hope is the Prime Minister offering them?
It is British Beauty Week—I can see you have been celebrating, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I am sure the Secretary of State has been, too—but it is tough out there for our salons. The industry lost one in five employees last year, which is the largest loss of any job type in the UK. Many will have been young people starting their careers in the industry, and few salons can afford to employ and train them because they are getting hammered by the jobs tax, soaring business rates and higher utility bills. What hope is the Prime Minister offering them?
I notice the hon. Lady did not go first on British Beauty Week to me, but to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and that is fair. British Beauty Week is an important moment, not least to celebrate the contribution of the sector and the, I believe, over 5,000 new apprentices starting in the sector in every corner of the UK this year.
The hon. Lady in effect asks what the big economic story in the UK is, and I would say that the hope comes from the fact that, despite the challenges that exist in the global economy around the world, the economy under this Government is clearly performing more strongly than it did for 14 years under the Tories. My proof points for that are that wages are rising faster than prices and, crucially, that GDP is rising not just overall, but per head, as opposed to the modest increases under the Conservatives, which were really from population increases and large-scale immigration. An economy performing more strongly is in the interests of every business. On the opportunities for young people, there are the tax and fiscal incentives I have mentioned, with the further agenda coming through the Milburn review.
Professor Brian Cox is among the eminent scientists warning about the impact of Government cuts to research on advanced physics and astronomy—a move that he calls “inexplicable”. Meanwhile, the Government are spending millions on projects examining climate coloniality, decolonising justice and transforming LGBTIQ+ asylum policies. Are those the Secretary of State’s research priorities too? If not, has she made that crystal clear to UK Research and Innovation?
Professor Brian Cox is among the eminent scientists warning about the impact of Government cuts to research on advanced physics and astronomy—a move that he calls “inexplicable”. Meanwhile, the Government are spending millions on projects examining climate coloniality, decolonising justice and transforming LGBTIQ+ asylum policies. Are those the Secretary of State’s research priorities too? If not, has she made that crystal clear to UK Research and Innovation?
I am sorry to put the hon. Lady straight, but we are not cutting money for that. We are actually putting in the biggest funding for research and development ever in this country—something of which I am especially proud. We are protecting curiosity-led research and ensuring that we focus on the key priorities of this country, because we know there is no route to stronger growth or better answers and innovations without science and technology at its core.
I think the Secretary of State just said that the eminent professors are wrong.
Aside from research spend, one of the core reasons for the budgetary pressures in physics is the ruinous cost of energy under Labour. It is ideology in research spend, and it is ideology in energy policy. In March, the Secretary of State said we need to sort out the problems facing physics funding as soon as possible; it is now July. Has she lobbied the Energy Secretary to stop him driving up the core costs of our critical scientific research institutions?
I think the Secretary of State just said that the eminent professors are wrong.
Aside from research spend, one of the core reasons for the budgetary pressures in physics is the ruinous cost of energy under Labour. It is ideology in research spend, and it is ideology in energy policy. In March, the Secretary of State said we need to sort out the problems facing physics funding as soon as possible; it is now July. Has she lobbied the Energy Secretary to stop him driving up the core costs of our critical scientific research institutions?
I say gently to the hon. Lady that we are dealing with the mess we inherited from Conservative Members by ensuring that this country can rely on clean, renewable, home-grown energy right here in Britain. That is why we are driving the technological revolution in AI in our AI growth zones in Wales through three small modular nuclear reactors. It is also why this country has had more venture capital funding in our AI start-ups just this year than the whole of the rest of Europe. We are driving forward change to ensure that this country can succeed.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the impact of increases in employment costs on businesses’ decisions on whether to substitute labour with (a) automation and (b) AI.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the impact of increases in employment costs on businesses’ decisions on whether to substitute labour with (a) automation and (b) AI.
The fiscal inheritance demanded tough choices in order to fix our public services, to create long-term growth and investment that supports businesses.
Through our plan for small and medium sized businesses we have sought to protect and enable SMEs to prosper.
There is limited conclusive evidence AI is reducing employment. However, the pace of technological change means government is acting now to ensure we are prepared. The AI Economics Institute will monitor impacts on jobs and skills to ensure we can respond quickly, alongside investment in training and lifelong learning to help people adapt and prepare for future jobs.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will (a) provide an overview of the methods used by her department to track and report (i) how many individuals have taken courses and (ii) the number of courses delivered through the Government’s AI Skills Hub platform,...
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will (a) provide an overview of the methods used by her department to track and report (i) how many individuals have taken courses and (ii) the number of courses delivered through the Government’s AI Skills Hub platform,...
The government is committed to building a digitally skilled workforce to support long-term economic growth, drive innovation and expand individual opportunity. As part of this ambition, DSIT has launched the AI Skills Boost campaign to upskill 10 million workers in AI skills by 2030.
As of 24 April 2026, there were 65,965 registered learners on the AI Skills Hub. The AI Skills Hub also hosts the AI Skills Boost programme, which delivered over 1 million courses between June 2025 and January 2026. A further progress update will be shared shortly.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the extent to which existing UK fibre and mobile connectivity infrastructure is sufficient to support the adoption of AI technologies across different sectors of the UK economy.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the extent to which existing UK fibre and mobile connectivity infrastructure is sufficient to support the adoption of AI technologies across different sectors of the UK economy.
We are committed to ensuring the UK is the leading adopter of AI in the G7, and the Government will look at how regulation, data and access to finance can support adoption including by working closely with sectoral AI Champions to identify new solutions.
High-quality digital connectivity underpins the UK’s digital capabilities, including the adoption of AI technologies across different sectors of the UK economy. This is why we are futureproofing the UK’s networks, with a target to deliver 99% gigabit broadband coverage by 2032 and an ambition for all populated areas to have access to higher quality standalone 5G coverage by 2030.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the proportion of funding awarded by the Advanced Research and Invention Agency to non UK based companies; and how such funding is expected to deliver benefits to the UK.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the proportion of funding awarded by the Advanced Research and Invention Agency to non UK based companies; and how such funding is expected to deliver benefits to the UK.
ARIA was established by Parliament to independently fund high-risk, high-reward research. More than 80% of its funding goes to UK-based teams, and where funding goes abroad, it comes with conditions to ensure it delivers long-term benefits for the UK, such as requirements to establish UK operations or carry out activity in the UK.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the impact of energy prices on the cost and competitiveness of operating AI infrastructure in the UK.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the impact of energy prices on the cost and competitiveness of operating AI infrastructure in the UK.
Energy prices are a critical factor in the cost and competitiveness of operating AI infrastructure in the UK, but they are one of several key considerations, alongside access to reliable grid capacity, a strong digital services market, a highly developed economy and access to skilled talent. These factors must be considered in the round, as they collectively influence and shape investment decisions.
We are working closely with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Department for Business and Trade, Ofgem and the National Energy System Operator on energy pricing, to ensure that we can attract sufficient investment in infrastructure and deliver on our ambition of being a global leader in AI.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what process was followed to appoint Suzanne Ashman as Managing Partner of the UK Sovereign AI Fund.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what process was followed to appoint Suzanne Ashman as Managing Partner of the UK Sovereign AI Fund.
The Managing Partner of the Sovereign AI Fund has been appointed following a three-month, competitive, five-stage recruitment process involving over 60 candidates. She was judged the strongest candidate on merit against the skills and experience required. This is a Civil Service appointment. Ministers were not involved in the recruitment process and had no decision-making authority over the outcome.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Answer of 13 April 2026 to question 126666, what recent progress she has made on the establishment and membership of the ministerial-level working group as set out in the MOU for the UK-US Tech Prosperity...
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Answer of 13 April 2026 to question 126666, what recent progress she has made on the establishment and membership of the ministerial-level working group as set out in the MOU for the UK-US Tech Prosperity...
The United States is our close ally and tech partner, and we are committed to ensuring that bond delivers real benefits for hardworking people on both sides of the Atlantic.
We continue to have ministerial-level discussions with the US administration on science and technology, including on joint initiatives in the Tech Prosperity Deal.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Answer of 21 April 2026 to Question 128826, when the chips used in the Isambard‑AI and Dawn AI Research Resource clusters in (a) July 2024, (b) July 2025 and (c) April 2026 were procured.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Answer of 21 April 2026 to Question 128826, when the chips used in the Isambard‑AI and Dawn AI Research Resource clusters in (a) July 2024, (b) July 2025 and (c) April 2026 were procured.
The Department does not hold information centrally on the procurement dates of individual chips used within the Isambard AI and Dawn AI Research Resource clusters.
Hardware for both systems was procured by delivery partners as part of wider system procurements, with components ordered and delivered in phases to support system build, integration and commissioning. Procurement activity therefore spans a period of time and is not recorded against single dates for individual components.
As a result, the Department is not able to provide specific procurement dates for the chips in July 2024, July 2025, or April 2026.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her department plans to publish a response to its call for evidence on the AI Growth Lab scheme.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her department plans to publish a response to its call for evidence on the AI Growth Lab scheme.
The AI Growth Lab would be a cross-economy AI sandbox which would enable responsible AI products and services to be deployed under close supervision in live markets. This will unlock cross-economy growth, drive trust and create a mechanism for dynamic, evidence-led regulatory reform.
From 21st October 2025 – 7th January 2026, the Government ran a call for evidence on the AI Growth Lab, asking innovators and regulators. The insights will inform further policy development and the identification of priority areas for the AI Growth Lab.
The Chancellor announced plans to legislate for the AI Growth Lab in her 2026 Mais Lecture and the King’s Speech confirmed the intention to introduce the Regulating for Growth Bill. We will set out further details shortly.
There was no clear answer from the Secretary of State. It sounds like Labour is about to trade away our Brexit freedoms on tech regulation, yet tech Ministers have been briefing behind the scenes that we must not lose Britain’s Brexit freedoms on tech when it comes to AI, data and agritech. Will she now publicly admit what her Ministers have been briefing behind closed doors: Brexit was not some exercise in nostalgia pushed on us by uninformed thickos? It has given Britain a competitive advantage in the industries of the future.
There was no clear answer from the Secretary of State. It sounds like Labour is about to trade away our Brexit freedoms on tech regulation, yet tech Ministers have been briefing behind the scenes that we must not lose Britain’s Brexit freedoms on tech when it comes to AI, data and agritech. Will she now publicly admit what her Ministers have been briefing behind closed doors: Brexit was not some exercise in nostalgia pushed on us by uninformed thickos? It has given Britain a competitive advantage in the industries of the future.
Perhaps unusually, I do not listen to and never get involved in briefings, but I am very clear about the huge advantages this country has: world-leading talent and some of the most innovative tech start-ups. In the last year alone, we got more venture capital funding for tech and AI in this country than France and Germany combined. We are going to back Britain because we believe in Britain—£500 million in a sovereign AI fund and four AI growth zones in parts of the country that have been levelled up more under this Government than in 14 years under the Conservatives. We will seize this powerful technology to build a future that works for all, and I am proud of our work.
I was born in Harlow, would you believe it, Mr Speaker?
Can the Secretary of State guarantee that under Labour’s EU reset, Britain will not align with any EU tech rules, including the AI Act?
I was born in Harlow, would you believe it, Mr Speaker?
Can the Secretary of State guarantee that under Labour’s EU reset, Britain will not align with any EU tech rules, including the AI Act?
This Government want to ensure that we have a closer relationship with Europe, because we see every day the terrible impacts that the Conservatives’ Brexit deal brings. But I am also clear that we will continue our pragmatic, not dogmatic, approach to regulation, because Britain is the second country in the western world in AI, and we want to retain those benefits to grow the economy and create good jobs throughout the country.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will provide the most up to date figures for the number of (i) individuals who have taken courses and (ii) courses that have been delivered, through the Government’s AI Skills Hub platform.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will provide the most up to date figures for the number of (i) individuals who have taken courses and (ii) courses that have been delivered, through the Government’s AI Skills Hub platform.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will publish details of any public data sets made accessible to technology firms with which the Government has signed partnership agreements or Memoranda of Understanding in relation to its Sovereign AI Unit.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will publish details of any public data sets made accessible to technology firms with which the Government has signed partnership agreements or Memoranda of Understanding in relation to its Sovereign AI Unit.
The Sovereign AI Fund has not made any public sector datasets accessible for technology firms under MoUs or partnership agreements to date.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the volume of compute capacity was at (i) the Isambard-AI and (ii) Dawn AI Research Resource clusters in July 2024, July 2025 and April 2026.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the volume of compute capacity was at (i) the Isambard-AI and (ii) Dawn AI Research Resource clusters in July 2024, July 2025 and April 2026.
We are investing up to £2 billion in public compute infrastructure until 2030. This will deliver a new national supercomputer in Edinburgh and expand our AI Research Resource (AIRR) twentyfold by 2030. The volume of compute capacity at the AIRR’s two supercomputing clusters at the specified points in time was as follows:
July 2024: Neither the Isambard‑AI cluster in Bristol nor the Dawn cluster in Cambridge was fully operational at this point. Isambard‑AI remained under construction. Dawn was not yet publicly operational, although a limited early access environment was available using around 400 Intel AI accelerator chips to support early users and system commissioning.
July 2025: The AIRR was launched and became operational. Isambard‑AI comprised approximately 5,448 NVIDIA AI accelerator chips, forming the UK’s flagship national AI supercomputer. Dawn comprised approximately 1,024 Intel AI accelerator chips, providing complementary AI‑optimised compute capability.
April 2026: Isambard‑AI continued to operate with approximately 5,448 NVIDIA AI accelerator chips, unchanged from launch. Dawn continued to operate with approximately 1,024 Intel AI accelerator chips.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer provided on 26 February 2026 to question 114130, what recent progress she has made on the establishment and membership of the ministerial-level working group.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer provided on 26 February 2026 to question 114130, what recent progress she has made on the establishment and membership of the ministerial-level working group.
The United States is our close ally and tech partner. We continue to have regular discussions with the US administration on science and technology. This includes discussions on future governance and delivery timelines for the joint initiatives under the Tech Prosperity Deal.
Ministers recently hosted senior US counterparts at the Quantum Development Group meeting in London.