Written questions by Morrison.

Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a licensing framework to ensure creators are compensated when their works are used in the development of generative AI.

All these matters were addressed in the Government 10-week consultation on AI and Copyright, which was published on Tuesday 17 December and closed on 25 February. We engaged extensively with AI and creative industries stakeholders before, during and since the consultation and will respond to the consultation once we have considered the submissions in detail.

Media and Sport, whether her Department has had discussions with AI developers on remuneration models for creatives' whose work is used to train AI models.

All these matters were addressed in the Government 10-week consultation on AI and Copyright, which was published on Tuesday 17 December and closed on 25 February. We engaged extensively with AI and creative industries stakeholders before, during and since the consultation and will respond to the consultation once we have considered the submissions in detail.

Media and Sport, if she will take steps to ensure that generative AI developers obtain authorisation from copyright holders before using their creative works for training AI models.

All these matters were addressed in the Government 10-week consultation on AI and Copyright, which was published on Tuesday 17 December and closed on 25 February. We engaged extensively with AI and creative industries stakeholders before, during and since the consultation and will respond to the consultation once we have considered the submissions in detail.

Innovation and Technology, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to require generative AI developers to (a) document and (b) disclose their use of copyrighted materials.

The Government’s consultation on Copyright and AI has just closed. This included a proposal to require AI model developers to be more transparent about how they obtain and use copyright works in their training, whether from web crawlers or other forms of training for AI models. Our priority now is to review the evidence from the consultation which will inform the Government response, including any legislative proposals.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) respond to Christian persecution globally.

The UK remains strongly committed to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all abroad. It is our firm opinion that no one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in.We continue to monitor human rights, including FoRB, across the globe through our overseas network. We draw on a range of resources to support our monitoring, including the annual Open Doors report on Christian persecution.We are championing the right to FoRB and promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral fora, our bilateral work, and our programme funding, including the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) John Bunyan Fund, a designated programme for FoRB-focused overseas projects. The appointment of David Smith MP as the Special Envoy for FoRB is a clear signal of the UK's ongoing commitment to these efforts. We will continue to monitor and respond to the issue of persecution of Christians globally on account of their faith, alongside the persecution of other groups.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reductions in the international development budget on his Department's programmes supporting persecuted Christians overseas.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) works to ensure that Official Development Assistance (ODA) is allocated to those who are most vulnerable and most in need of this assistance irrespective of race, religion, or ethnicity. This includes minority religious or belief communities, including Christians, who are assessed by our partners when determining those most in need of protection and assistance.The reduced ODA settlement is for 2026/27 onwards and we will be taking a rigorous approach to ensuring all ODA delivers value for money. The impact on specific programmes will be informed by the ongoing Spending Review and departmental resource allocation processes.

Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of replicating the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act.

The UK is committed to establishing a proportionate AI regulatory approach which is grounded in science and supports growth and innovation. As set out in the manifesto, the Government is developing legislative proposals which will establish targeted measures. This will complement work outlined in the government’s response to the AI Action Plan to support the UK's existing regulators who are responsible for governing the vast majority of AI systems at the point of use. As we develop our approach to regulating AI, we recognise the need to engage with a range of international partners. This includes engaging with the EU, who are a key science and technology partner, to discuss our respective approaches, as well as working alongside them and other partners in the G7, OECD, UN, and other international fora. We take a close interest in how our trading partners are regulating in similar areas and have regular exchanges with the EU on regulatory developments.

Innovation and Technology, whether his Department plans to introduce a mandatory labelling or watermarking system to identify AI-generated creative content.

The Government’s consultation on Copyright and AI has just closed. This included questions about the protection and labelling of generative AI outputs. Various industry initiatives exist to label AI outputs, but it may need to happen more consistently. Our priority now is to review the evidence from the consultation which will inform the Government response.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of targeted attacks against Christians in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including the recent attack on a church in North Kivu; and what steps his Department is taking to help support religious freedom in that country.

Recent attacks by IS-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), including on a church in North Kivu, are alarming and we are saddened by the loss of life. The ADF has been sanctioned by the UN since 2014. Protection of civilians, promotion of respect between different religious and non-religious groups, and human rights are priorities for the UK. The UK continues to work through UN bodies and other multilateral fora to promote and protect these rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We recognise that when freedom of religion or belief is respected, communities can build trust and understanding, which in turn supports mutual prosperity and peace. The Foreign Secretary emphasised to President Tshisekedi on his visit to the region the need for immediate de-escalation and civilian protection.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the recommendations in the Rt. Rev. Philip Mounstephen's report entitled Bishop of Truro’s Independent Review for the Foreign Secretary of FCO Support for Persecuted Christians, Final Report and Recommendations, published in 2019, what steps his Department has taken to incorporate the protection of Christian communities into its international development strategy.

An independent review of the FCDO's implementation of the Truro recommendations in 2022 was largely positive. This has now been concluded, and we are focused on the looking to the future, as we continue to champion the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) and promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral fora, our bilateral work and our programme funding, including the FCDO John Bunyan Fund, a designated programme for FoRB-focused overseas projects. We will continue to monitor and respond to the issue of persecution of Christians globally on account of their faith, alongside the persecution of other groups.The appointment of David Smith MP as the Special Envoy for FoRB is a clear signal of the UK's ongoing commitment to these efforts.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken steps to ensure that UK (a) embassies and (b) high commissions report on violations of freedom of religion or belief.

The UK remains strongly committed to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all abroad. It is our firm opinion that no one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in.We continue to monitor human rights, including FoRB, across the globe through our overseas network of embassies and high commissions, who report on developments. We draw on a range of resources to support our monitoring, including the annual Open Doors report on Christian persecution.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support his Department is providing to help protect Christians facing persecution in Nigeria.

The UK Government is committed to upholding the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). This includes advocating for the protections of all vulnerable communities including religious minorities through our position at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora as well as raising FoRB bilaterally with the Government of Nigeria and other influential parties. The UK also supports programmes working to address the complex root causes of intercommunal violence in Nigeria through locally led peace-building efforts. This support aims to reduce intercommunal tensions by improving access to security and justice, and natural resource management in specific areas across northern Nigeria. In addition, the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) works with Nigeria's security forces to tackle violence against all civilian communities, including those of different religious backgrounds and belief systems.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that consumers can differentiate between AI-generated and human-created content in creative industries.

Increasing transparency about the use of copyrighted works to train AI models and AI-generated content was one of the key issues explored in the Government’s recently closed Copyright and AI consultation. The consultation also sought views on the protection for the outputs of generative AI, the labelling of AI outputs and digital replicas. The consultation closed on 25 February and our priority now is to review the evidence from the consultation which will inform the Government response.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of UK aid in supporting Christian communities facing persecution.

We are championing the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) and promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral fora, our bilateral work and our programme funding. Including the FCDO John Bunyan Fund, a designated programme for FoRB-focused overseas projects.The FCDO works to ensure that Official Development Assistance (ODA) is allocated to those who are most vulnerable and most in need of this assistance irrespective of race, religion, or ethnicity. This includes minority religious or belief communities, including Christians, who are assessed by our partners when determining those most in need of protection and assistance.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the situation of Christians in (a) Gaza and (b) the Occupied Palestinian Territories; and whether he has made representations on that issue to the Palestinian Authority.

The UK is pressing for a Palestinian-led process for recovery and reconstruction in Gaza and a strong role for civil society. This is crucial to lay the groundwork for inclusive governance, accountability, and transparency so that the needs, desires, rights and freedoms and voices of all Gazans are protected, including Christians. The Foreign Secretary has spoken with President Abbas and the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority Mohammad Mustafa, and offered the UK's support as his government implements much-needed reforms. An effective Palestinian Authority is vital for lasting peace and progress towards a two-state solution. Officials from the Consulate General in Jerusalem have regular engagements with the Christian community in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, to understand the impact of the conflict and Israeli occupation on Christian Palestinians. The UK remains strongly committed to freedom of religious belief for all abroad. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that staff in his Department receive training on freedom of religion or belief.

Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) is incorporated within FCDO's broader human rights training programme. This includes workshops on religious engagement for staff delivered in the UK and overseas. We also provide several additional tools for staff, particularly those based overseas, to support work on FoRB, including a FoRB Toolkit, scale of persecution and framework for FoRB reporting.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Nigerian counterpart on the protection of Christian communities in Nigeria in light of reports of ongoing violence and persecution.

The UK Government is committed to upholding the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). The UK Government regularly advocates for the protections of all vulnerable communities including religious minorities through our position at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora as well as raising FoRB bilaterally with the Government of Nigeria and other influential parties. In his meeting with the Deputy Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives on 22 January, the Minister for Africa raised the importance of FoRB and resolving intercommunal conflict and tensions.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the competitiveness of the UK creative industry.

As set out in the Industrial Strategy Green Paper published in 2024, the UK's creative industries are world-leading, with the UK, according to UN Trade and Development statistics, being the third largest creative services exporter globally (behind Ireland and the United States).While the Department for Business and Trade has not made a formal assessment of the competitiveness of the UK creative industry, in 2023, the UK, according to UN Trade and Development statistics, was the tenth largest exporter of creative goods and according to Department for Culture, Media and Sport statistics contributed an estimated £124 billion to the UK economy, accounting for 5.2 per cent of UK gross value added.The forthcoming Industrial Strategy aims to leverage the sector's global comparative advantages to unlock private investment, boost exports and develop its highly skilled workforce.

What consultation process her Department undertook with (a) refugee advocacy organisations and (b) other stakeholders prior to implementing the changes to the Good Character: caseworker guidance.

We keep all aspects of the immigration system under review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.

Whether she plans to establish a system of designated (a) schools and (b) colleges offering practical science support for external candidates.

Parents who choose to home educate their children assume full responsibility for that education, as a state-funded place is available for every child.The decision to home educate must be an informed one, with full awareness of potential challenges and the associated costs. Parents should consider and plan in advance how and where their child can access exams and any written or practical assessments for their chosen subject(s).Exam centres, such as schools and colleges, deliver exams on behalf of exam boards, and rightly take their own decisions on whether they can accept private candidates based on their own individual circumstances, such as how big their exam halls are. Private candidates includes home educated students, but also adults and others.The department has worked with the Joint Council for Qualifications (JQC), who have created a centre search function on JCQ’s website, which enables any private candidate, including home educated students, to locate the nearest centre available to sit their A level science exams. Parents or private candidates should contact these centres, and any other private or local centres, to discuss whether they are able to accommodate private candidates taking both their exams and practical assessments.Local authorities have existing oversight responsibilities for home educating children and must make arrangements to identify children in their areas who are of compulsory school age, but who are not in school and not receiving a suitable education. To support local authorities, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, introduced by the government in December 2024, includes measures to introduce a compulsory Children Not in School registration system in each local authority area in England. It also includes accompanying duties on parents and out-of-school education providers to provide information for local authority registers.As part of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the department is also, for the first time, introducing a duty on local authorities to support home educating families on their Children Not in School registers. This new duty means that, when requested to do so by the parent, local authorities must provide advice and information relating to the child’s education. This could include, for example, advice and information about how to access and navigate the exams system or signposting to educational resources. This new support duty will, for the first time, ensure an established baseline level of support across all English local authorities to ensure that wherever home educating families live they have access to a reliable level of support from their local authority.Some local authorities may choose to offer support that goes beyond this baseline. However, this remains a decision for each local authority in respect of their individual circumstances.