The BaseHearingUK House of Lords

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises: AI Sector

In a House of Lords oral question, Conservative peer Lord Ranger of Northwood asked how the Government assesses business confidence among small AI firms. Minister Lord Leong listed funds and schemes, and peers pressed on procurement, energy costs, gender gaps and compute.

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Why it matters

The same thing, for different readers.

What it means for you

The UK Government says it funds British AI start-ups and is training 10 million young people in AI skills; peers asked whether help reaches small firms and regions evenly.

For lawmakers

Peers pressed the UK Government on how much public AI procurement will reach British small firms, and on energy costs they say hold back AI investment.

The question it raises

Nargund raised whether AI will widen existing gender gaps in skills, pay and investment, an equality question about who gains from the technology.

In their own words

Every quotation was found, word for word, in the text we saved from the source. That shows the words are there; it does not make them true, or prove the speaker meant them as quoted.

From the publisher’s own transcript.

“The 2024 study found that SMEs make up 96% of UK AI firms, and nearly 90% of firms surveyed expected revenue growth within a year.”
Lord Leong, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business and TradeLord Leong (Labour), the minister, answering the opening question on what evidence the Government has on small AI firms.
Found word for word in the source
“There is a fundamental difference between investing in AI technology and enabling British businesses to benefit from it. That is where we need to focus.”
Lord Ranger of NorthwoodLord Ranger of Northwood (Conservative), who asked the question, replying to the minister after noting JP Morgan's figure for US hyperscaler investment.
Found word for word in the source
“Our own research found that 43% of young women entering the workforce are concerned that AI will replace them.”
Baroness NargundBaroness Nargund (Labour) citing research when asking what the Government is doing to give women equal access to AI skills and finance.
Found word for word in the source
“We are committed to training 10 million young people in AI skills and, so far, 2.2 million have completed programmes.”
Lord Leong, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business and TradeLord Leong answering Lord Fox on how small businesses can get the expertise to use AI.
Found word for word in the source

The record

Questions
What happens to work, income and the economy? · How fast is AI advancing, and where is it heading?
People
Lord Ranger of Northwood (Speaks) · Lord Leong (Speaks, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business and Trade) · Lord Clement-Jones (Speaks) · Lord Walney (Speaks) · Baroness Nargund (Speaks) · Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Speaks) · Lord Fox (Speaks) · Lord Patel (Speaks) · Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate (Speaks)
What we read
We read the whole source.
Found by
The Radar, run of October 30, 2026, via uk-house-of-lords-hansard (tier 1: the source’s own channel or an official record)
Cite this
UK House of Lords, “Small and Medium-sized Enterprises: AI Sector”, October 29, 2026. Entry in the Ctrl AI Base, https://ctrlai.com/base/uk-house-of-lords-2026-10-29-sme-ai-sector
Our notesAbout AI industry policy and adoption, not safety. Ranger of Northwood declared an interest as co-founder of the Business AI Alliance; Clement-Jones as adviser to DLA Piper. Hansard text was last updated late on the sitting day and may be corrected.