Claire Penketh MBCS, Senior Policy and Public Affairs Manager, provides an overview of BCS’ policy agenda and explores the work that’s being done to ensure the new UK government hears about our priorities.
Before the UK’s general election, BCS issued a list of three central tech policies that the incoming government needed to focus on: widespread adoption of chartered IT professional (CITP) status, broadening and growing computing education and digital literacy, and closing the diversity gap in the tech industry. Our manifesto received coverage in the tech press, including ITPro.
Deepfakes and elections
BCS also called for an immediate reform of the regulations that prevent mainstream broadcast media from rebutting fake news on election day. It followed a survey of our members that found almost two thirds believe this change was necessary. The comments received coverage in The Independent and The Standard.
Dr Victoria Baines FBCS appeared on ITV News at 10 to discuss the impact of deep fakes and AI-generated content on the UK and Indian elections.
AI: the new frontier
A fully-fledged AI bill was not announced during the State Opening of Parliament, but the government promised ‘appropriate legislation to place requirements on those working to develop the most powerful artificial intelligence models.’
Adam Leon Smith FBCS said: ‘Most IT experts’ concerns are not that AI is too powerful but that essential guardrails are not in place. There must be high professional standards to ensure AI is directed and developed by individuals who adhere to agreed measures of competence and ethics.’ Our comments were reported in Forbes and Computer Weekly.
Before the government outlined its legislative agenda Rashik Parmar MBE, CEO of BCS said unlocking the economic benefits of AI and supporting industry growth must be a top priority for the government. He reiterated that those working in high-stakes roles should be professionally accredited, preferably with chartered status.
Rashik said: ‘The new Prime Minister has a unique opportunity to take a positive view of AI and high stakes technologies...by setting high standards for those who direct and develop computing in areas like health, security and other vital public services, the UK can be an example to the world.’ His comments were reported in The Stack, DigitNews, and The Raconteur.
Data centres and sustainability
As expected, the government announced the setting up of GB Energy, a publicly owned clean power company headquartered in Scotland. One of its chief aims is to ‘help accelerate investment in renewable energy such as offshore wind.’
John Booth from the BCS Green IT Specialist Group said it was vital that the sustainable planning and development of data centres and improvements to energy distribution were top government priorities: ‘Data centres consume large amounts of power, and data centre growth and the exponential increase in power and cooling demand for AI is going to put pressure on grid capacity and natural resources.
‘GB Energy needs to think about smart grids and a range of innovations that can store renewable power so it can be released to meet peaks of demand.’
John also responded along similar lines to the inaugural statement from the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, who said the government will reopen the planning process that blocked two data centres from being built in Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire The comments were reported widely, including in The Register, Computer Weekly, and ITPro.
Society, the economy and cybersecurity
The new Labour government said it would introduce the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, giving regulators greater powers to push more firms to implement better cybersecurity defences.
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Steve Sands, Chair of the BCS Information Specialist Group said: ‘Strong cyber capability is essential to underpinning all aspects of technology and IT, which is necessary to deliver critical services to the nation and its citizens.
‘We hope the government’s Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will focus on raising standards and governance in the private sector for cyber security. As many government services rely on partnerships between the public and private sector firms, this is sometimes the weak link when it comes to cyberattacks and that needs to be addressed.’
Digital apprenticeships
The reform of the apprenticeship levy was also announced in the King’s Speech, along with setting up a new body, Skills England, which the government promised would put industry at its heart. Annette Allmark, Director of Learning and Development at BCS, said the setting up of such a body was a welcome move as it could streamline a complicated system. She added: ‘The apprenticeship levy should be protected while also reforming those aspects that are not working.’
BCS released a report called the Future of Digital Apprenticeships. It outlined the importance of building on digital apprenticeships' current successes.
Transforming digital health
The King's speech included few significant measures regarding health. BCS members of the Health and Care executive are clear that the government needs to develop a long term digital transformation plan for harnessing technology to help cut waiting lists and improve diagnosis.
The Post Office Horizon Scandal
Aside from the election and the rapid pace of changes announced by the new government, the inquiry into the Post Office Scandal continued. We spoke to Computer Weekly to help them accurately report that an expert witness had resigned from BCS, and relinquished his Chartered IT Professional Status, after being written to by our Chief Executive. Gareth Jenkins was a chief architect at Fujitsu and acted as an expert witness for the Post Office when it prosecuted sub postmasters based on computer evidence. In a statement BCS said ‘…Rashik Parmar wrote to Mr Jenkins earlier this month to advise him that investigative action under our code of conduct was a potential outcome, pending evidence due to be heard from him at the inquiry.’
Computing education reform
Julia Adamson MBE, BCS’ Managing Director of Education and Public Benefit, gave evidence to a House of Lords inquiry and her insights were referenced in a major report on the future of computing education. The research by Kings College London and the University of Reading supported BCS’ long term policy recommendations for broadening and diversifying the current GCSE away from its theoretical base. It also supported BCS’ call for new digital literacy options at earlier stages. The success of BCS’ Computing at School (CAS) network was also cited.
Senior BCS member becomes MP
Although BCS does not support any political party, we are proud that Daniel Aldridge, who worked at BCS as head of policy, was elected as the MP for Weston-super-Mare.
