House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee

Ce qu'il fait

Considers the media, digital and creative industries. Has run the most substantial Lords work on AI, including its 'AI and copyright' inquiry (opened 3 November 2025; report published 6 March 2026; Government response published 15 May 2026) and earlier large language models and generative AI work. Currently running 'The Online Safety Act: implementation and impact' (opened 27 July 2026, written evidence deadline 21 September 2026). Takes evidence, reports, and obliges a Government response; no enforcement power.

Ses responsabilités en matière d'IA

The Lords' standing committee on media, broadcasting, telecoms and the digital economy. It is the UK's most productive parliamentary venue on AI policy: it produced 'AI, copyright and the creative industries' (4th Report, published 6 March 2026; Government response 15 May 2026) and is now examining the Online Safety Act, where AI-generated content and algorithmic systems are squarely in scope.

Ses pouvoirs

investigate

Évaluation franche

Lords committees are, in practitioners' experience, MORE receptive to outside expertise than Commons committees: members are often subject-matter experts with no constituency workload, inquiries run longer, and the evidence base is read more carefully. The AI and copyright inquiry extracted a formal Government response within ten weeks of reporting. The same rules apply — submit to a live inquiry within its window, address the terms of reference, and contact the clerk. Scope is media, digital markets, copyright and online safety, not frontier risk; for severe-risk arguments the Commons SIT Committee scrutinising AISI is the better venue.

Travaux en cours

2 current inquiries: 'The Online Safety Act: implementation and impact' (opened 27 July 2026, written evidence deadline 21 September 2026 — now closed); 'AI and copyright' (opened 3 Nov 2025, reported 6 March 2026, Government response 15 May 2026).

Voie d'accès publique

Written evidence via the portal on the inquiry page. Lords committees receive far fewer submissions than Commons ones, so a competent submission has a much higher chance of being cited.

Règles de format

Same Parliament-wide rules: usually max 3,000 words, numbered paragraphs, single Word/ODT/RTF file under 25MB, not previously published, published online permanently, covered by parliamentary privilege once accepted.

Personnes clés

Viscount Colville of Culross (Crossbench), Lord Holmes of Richmond MBE (Con) — a persistent AI-regulation campaigner in the Lords, Lord Knight of Weymouth (Lab), Lord Tarassenko CBE FREng (Crossbench) — an AI/engineering academic, Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge (Con) — deepfake legislation, Baroness Fleet, Baroness Caine of Kentish Town, Baroness Elliott of Whitburn Bay, Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate, Lord McNally (LD), Lord Storey (LD), Lord Bishop of Winchester. 13 members total.

Notes

Other Lords committees with adjacent AI remit include the Science and Technology Committee (ID 193) and the Constitution Committee on algorithmic decision-making in government; check which has a live inquiry before choosing.

Note de recherche

VERIFIED 2026-09-22 from the committee's membership page. Baroness Keeley is listed as 'Chair Lords'. The Online Safety Act evidence window closed the day before this check (21 Sep 2026).