Science, Innovation and Technology Committee

The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee scrutinises science policy, research funding, innovation strategy, and the regulation of technology sectors across the UK. This House of Commons select committee conducts pre-appointment hearings for senior public office holders and takes oral evidence from government officials, researchers, and industry representatives. The committee has recently examined social media regulation and age restrictions, hearing from platforms on their responses to online harms and comparing approaches with Australia's regulatory framework. It has also scrutinised research funding priorities through pre-appointment hearings for the UKRI chair and inquiry sessions on STFC funding and CERN impact. Additional recent focus areas include science diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific region, with evidence from the government's science diplomacy team, and emerging technology governance issues including AI applications in government data security.