Afzal Khan MP: written questions
4 Jul 2025–3 Jul 2026
How these years work
Our reporting years run from 4 July to 3 July, starting with the 2024 general election. They are not official parliamentary sessions. Office costs keep IPSA’s April–March financial years. Records may cover only part of a year; a missing record does not mean no work was done.
Read what this MP said, asked and contributed in Parliament.
13 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Artificial Intelligence: SafetyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 21 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128813More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of requiring independent safety assessments before AI systems with dangerous offensive capabilities are developed.
Answer: AI is a general-purpose technology with a wide range of applications, which is why the UK believes that the vast majority of AI systems should be regulated at the point of use. In response to the AI Action Plan, the government committed to work with regul...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordCybersecurity: Artificial IntelligenceDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 21 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128812More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the UK's preparedness for AI-enabled cyber threats.
Answer: The cyber security of the UK is a priority for the government and we have robust measures in place to protect our critical national infrastructure and essential public services. It is clear that artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities are accelerating q...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordScience and Technology Facilities Council: FinanceDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 18 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121907More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to STFC funding on (a) the Jodrell Bank Observatory and (b) other research facilities.
Answer: The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has committed a record £58.5 billion investment in R&D over the next 4 years. This includes £38.6 billion allocated to UKRI. The overall Government spend on R&D over the next 4 years is ...
Answered 27 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordHigher Education: ResearchDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 18 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121906More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to support early-career researchers funded through the Science and Technology Facilities Council, in the context of funding uncertainty.
Answer: The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has committed a record £58.5 billion investment in R&D over the next 4 years. This includes £38.6 billion allocated to UKRI. The overall Government spend on R&D over the next 4 years is ...
Answered 27 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordAstronomy and Physics: ResearchDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 18 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121905More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to Science and Technology Facilities Council funding on the UK’s global position in astronomy and physics research.
Answer: The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has committed a record £58.5 billion investment in R&D over the next 4 years. This includes £38.6 billion allocated to UKRI. The overall Government spend on R&D over the next 4 years is ...
Answered 27 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordArtificial Intelligence: TestingDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83421More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of mandating pre-deployment testing of advanced (a) AI and (b) superintelligence models on levels of risk to the public.
Answer: The AI Security Institute (AISI) evaluates models both pre and post deployment in voluntary collaboration with leading AI developers.Since being established in November 2023, AISI has tested over 30 models from leading AI companies. AISI’s findings show t...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordMobile Phones: ResearchDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70925More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will commission research involving (a) young people, (b) parents and (c) carers on mobile phone use outside school hours.
Answer: The department is developing the evidence base around children’s online safety, including smartphone use, to continually inform our policy response. As part of this, DSIT commissioned a feasibility study into research on the impact of smartphones and soci...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordInternet: Young PeopleDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70924More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle young people's (a) mobile phone use and (b) online safety beyond the school environment.
Answer: Under the Online Safety Act, platforms must protect all users, including children, from illegal content and criminal behaviour online.The child safety duties, which have been in force since July, require platforms to prevent children from encountering the...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCybersecurityDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69931More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of certification and professional standards on the (a) quality and (b) resilience of the UK’s cybersecurity workforce.
Answer: The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology works closely with the UK Cyber Security Council, the professional body for the UK’s cyber workforce, supporting its efforts to develop professional standards. The Council was formed on the back of wor...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCybersecurityDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69930More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has had discussions with professional bodies to promote uptake of cybersecurity (a) qualifications and (b) apprenticeships.
Answer: The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology works closely with the UK Cyber Security Council, the professional body for the UK’s cyber workforce, supporting its efforts to develop professional standards. The Council was formed on the back of wor...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCybersecurityDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69929More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to increase the cybersecurity workforce.
Answer: The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is increasing the number of individuals entering the UK’s cyber security workforce through CyberFirst, which has engaged over 415,000 young people with bursaries, competitions and training. The recentl...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCybersecurity: Manchester RusholmeDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 8 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65853More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the cyber security industry in Manchester Rusholme on economic growth in the North West; and whether he plans to bring
Answer: The government’s new Industrial Strategy highlights cyber security as a strategically important sector and one with potential for high growth. The annual UK Cyber Security Sectoral Analysis shows the sector is worth £13.2 billion, up 12% on the previous y...
Answered 16 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordClothing: Manufacturing IndustriesDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 4 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65030More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will visit the new Robotics Living Lab at the Manchester Fashion Institute, Manchester Metropolitan University, to make an assessment of the potential merits of this example of in
Answer: The Robotics Living Lab was awarded £3.8 million from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through its World Class Labs programme. This represents an outstanding example of how public funding for university-driven and interdisciplinary research can attract p...
Answered 14 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
Explore activity by topic or department
Written questions by answering department
4 Jul 2025–3 Jul 2026. One record per UIN and tabled date; the named department is not a measure of answer quality.
View as listWhat this shows and doesn't show
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →