Department for Education written question – answered at on 5 January 2026.
Tim Farron
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Communities and Local Government)
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that pupils in rural schools have equal access to AI learning opportunities.
Olivia Bailey
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department is committed to leveraging technology to benefit all schools, including those in rural areas.
We are addressing barriers by connecting schools to fibre through the School Gigabit Programme and improving wireless networks through Connect the Classroom, which was expanded this year.
The Plan Technology for Your School service provides tailored support to help schools meet core digital and technology standards by 2030.
Our Generative AI Policy Position supports schools to implement AI safely and effectively.
We have also introduced the Generative AI Product Safety Expectations framework to ensure AI tools meet safeguards, and published online toolkits to help teachers and leaders use AI safely and effectively.
Alongside this, we are investing in our evidence-base via the EdTech Impact Testbed, which will evaluate AI tools’ impact on improving outcomes and reducing workload, so that schools will have confidence in products they select.
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Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
