Are politicians turning to AI?
Clive Brooke, a Labour peer, wrote to the government earlier this month to ask 'whether artificial intelligence is used to reply to written parliamentary questions and, if so, what is the extent of this'.
Have government ministers been using AI to answer parliamentary questions from MPs and peers? It's a question one member of the House of Lords has posed – and the answer's still not entirely clear.
On Tuesday, he received a response from Angela Smith, the leader of the House of Lords. She wrote to Lord Brooke: 'All written parliamentary questions are considered on a case by case basis. The Government does not have a specific policy on the use of AI for responding to written parliamentary questions, however staff do have access to AI software tools to support the drafting process.
'All responses are reviewed by policy officials to ensure accuracy and consistency with government policy, and parliamentary questions are signed off by Ministers.'
Which not only doesn't really settle the question – but the answer itself sounds exactly like it has been written by AI. Are our robot overlords already in charge? If so, Rats in a Sack for one welcomes them.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Edinburgh Reporter
10 minutes ago
- Edinburgh Reporter
Calls for the government to address demand for prostitution
The MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, Tracy Gilbert today led a parliamentary debate on Tuesday in Westminster Hall calling for urgent government action to address the demand driving prostitution and sex trafficking in the UK. Ms Gilbert said that the debate, 'That this House has considered the matter of tackling demand for prostitution and sex trafficking', focused on the urgent need to adopt a demand-reduction approach to tackle the exploitation of women and girls who are coerced, trafficked, or driven by poverty into the sex trade. Her speech highlighted the issue in Edinburgh, and some of the vulnerable women who have been affected by it, including Fiona Broadfoot who has spoken out about her treatment whilst working in an Edinburgh brothel. Tracy Gilbert said: 'In Edinburgh over the weekend (7 –8 June 2025), 142 women were being advertised for prostitution on one pimping website alone. Five of the top ten adverts are explicitly posted by so-called 'agencies' – so the site isn't even trying to hide the organised nature of this exploitation.' She outlined that current legislation fails to effectively deter those who purchase sex and called on the Government to explore legislative models that criminalise the buying, not the selling, of sex, as adopted in countries such as Sweden and Norway, and she gave examples of reviews made after the buying of sex including the following: 'Bad attitude. Everything was off limits.' 'Finally got her to lay there but it's like shagging a dead fish.' 'No smile, her atrocious English made the interactions even more impossible.' Tracy added: 'Men who buy sex are reviewing women as if they are reviewing an Xbox game. These comments prove that men who pay for sex treat women as subordinate sex objects whose role is to service their sexual desires.' Watch the debate online here: Like this: Like Related
The National
19 minutes ago
- The National
Independent Scotland would break ties with Israel, says Stephen Flynn
Speaking to The News Agents podcast, the SNP Westminster leader also said he does not believe it would "wise" for SNP MPs to visit Israel, but he would be "amazed" if they decided to as they are "not daft". He said the UK's position on the atrocities being committed by Israel in Gaza has been "so weak for far too long". Asked if an independent Scotland under the SNP would close embassies in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv and if it would break off diplomatic relations with Israel, Flynn replied "yes" to both questions. On whether he would advise SNP MPs to not visit Israel, Flynn said: "I don't think they'd be wise to visit Israel. READ MORE: UK sanctions Israeli ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich over Gaza "I imagine they would probably get the same response that the couple of Labour MPs did at the airport a few months ago, which was where they got taken aside and turned back home." He went on: "It's up to them to decide what they want to do. I'd be amazed if any of them did, because they're not daft, and they probably know that they would get turned around and stuck on a plane right back out Israel. "Look, I'm deeply, deeply upset and angry about what's happened in Gaza and what continues to happen in Gaza, and the fact that the UK position has been so weak for far too long in respect of this. And I think it's important that you convey your views to people who are rational actors." In April, Labour MPs were denied entry to the occupied West Bank. Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang said they were "astounded at the unprecedented step taken by the Israeli authorities" to refuse British MPs entry. (Image: News Agents) A statement from the pair said they had 'spoken out in Parliament in recent months' on Israel's war on Gaza and parliamentarians "should feel free to speak truthfully in the House of Commons without fear of being targeted'. Flynn's comments come after the UK Government sanctioned two far-right Israeli ministers over their comments about Gaza. Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's security minister, and Bezalel Smotrich, finance minister, will have their assets frozen and travel bans imposed. Smotrich approved the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. He also campaigned against allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza. Ben-Gvir has advocated for the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza, and said that the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem should be replaced with a synagogue. Later on in the podcast, Flynn was asked about whether he intends to contest the leadership of the SNP in the future. READ MORE: Freedom Flotilla Coalition gives update on Madleen crew detained by Israel While he is going to campaign to become an MSP, he stressed he backs John Swinney as SNP leader and believes he can "make sure we're fighting fit to go on and win the election" at Holyrood next year. Flynn said: "It is my intention to stand for Holyrood, I'm seeking to be a candidate for the Scottish Parliament elections next year, in an area that's probably similar to the seat I hold at Westminster." He went on: "When Humza Yousaf stood down as First Minister, the first person I called to take over was John Swinney. When Nicola Sturgeon, prior to that, announced that she was standing down again, the first person I called to take over was John Swinney. Now that's a wee bit of an insight into my thinking. "And my thinking is very clear that John Swinney is by far the best person for the job. I think he's the best politician in Scotland. I think he displays that in Holyrood with acumen on a weekly basis. "And I'm pretty confident over the course of next 11 months, he can make sure we're fighting fit to go on and win the election. The polls would indicate that we are going to win the election. "But it can't be about polls. It has to be about policies and people. And when the SNP is focused on that and our ultimate goal of independence, we tend to do well."
BreakingNews.ie
21 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Nationwide rent controls planned as Government looks at higher landlord fines
The Government has announced a package of rent controls as the Minister for Housing acknowledged that rents in Ireland are 'way too high'. The existing rent controls for areas of high demand will be extended across the country. Advertisement Rent pressure zones (RPZs) were introduced in 2016 to help control spiralling costs for tenants. The RPZ system, due to expire at the end of the year, has in effect been extended nationwide and sees all existing tenancies in Ireland come under a 2 per cent cap or inflation, whichever is lower. Rent increases in new-builds will be capped by inflation and not the 2 per cent cap in order to incentivise the development of apartments. Minister for Housing James Browne said financial investors 'won't even look at Dublin' because of the 2 per cent RPZ cap. Asked whether these proposals would reduce average rent costs in Ireland, Mr Browne said he expected rents 'to fall over time' but would not comment over what time period this would happen. Advertisement 'This is not being presented as a silver bullet. This is to strike a balance, to bring clarity and to bring certainty,' Mr Browne said. On Tuesday, the Cabinet agreed to legislate for Mr Browne's swathe of new rent and tenancy reforms. New tenancies created from March 1st, 2026, onwards will be set at market value and offer a six-year minimum rolling tenancies. At the end of the six-year tenancy, the rent can be reset and 'put back to the market', meaning the first series of rent resets will take place in 2032. Advertisement Large landlords, defined as having four or more tenancies, will be banned from carrying out no-fault evictions for tenancies beginning from March 1st, 2026. Housing Minister James Browne speaking to the media at Government Buildings in Dublin. Photo: PA Images A small landlord can end tenancies via a 'no fault eviction' in limited circumstances, such as economic hardship or to move a family member in, but if they do that, they cannot reset the rent. 'If there is a dispute between a landlord and a tenant on what the market value is, they can go to the Residential Tenancy Board (RTB) for adjudication,' Mr Browne said. 'A tenancy of minimum duration of six years is a real leap forward for tenant protections in return for allowing landlords to reset rent.' Advertisement The Department of Housing said all landlords can end a tenancy where there is a breach of tenant obligations or where the dwelling is no longer suited to the tenants. The department also said that all landlords will have the right to reset rent where the rent is below market at the end of each six-year tenancy, unless a 'no-fault eviction' occurs. 'Resetting of rents will not be allowed following a no-fault eviction. Rent resetting will only be allowed where a tenant leaves a tenancy of their own volition or has breached their tenant obligations,' Mr Browne said. 'Resetting of rents will not be allowed during any tenancy created on or before 28 February 2026 due to the uncertainties it would cause for tenants with existing tenancies.' Advertisement Asked about who would police whether the ban on resetting rents except in the case of no-fault evictions is being adhered to, Mr Browne said it would be the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). 'I would hope that people will report landlords who are breaking the law in this respect,' he said. He said he was engaging with the Attorney General on what level of fines can be imposed on landlords for breaking eviction rules. Ireland Rent pressure zones: What are they and why are the... Read More He said they should be 'higher' and 'substantial' but there are limits in increasing fines before it crosses into the jurisdiction of the courts. He said he would also 'like to see' a rents register that would bring transparency to what a property had charged in rent previously. 'Our rents are way too high in this country, we know that. We know the only way to address that is increasing supply, so we have more competition, and then you will start to see rents go down.'
