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Department for Business and Trade: Artificial Intelligence

Asked by Andy McDonaldLabourDepartment for Business and TradeTabled Answered 10 July 2026UIN 15342

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how individuals are informed by his Department that decisions affecting them have been taken (a) in whole and (b) in part by automated means.

Answered by Kate Dearden

The Department does not currently have tools, products or processes that rely on automated decision-making (ADM).

Individuals are informed about how their personal data is processed through Privacy Notices, which are kept under review and updated where required.

If ADM is introduced, transparency requirements would apply as soon as the Department obtains individuals’ data for solely ADM. Articles 13 and 14 of the UK GDPR require organisations to provide privacy information about the existence of solely ADM. Where decisions are supported by automation but involve meaningful human input that influences the outcome, they would not be considered solely automated decisions.

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