Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

Driving innovation that will deliver improved public services, create new better-paid jobs and grow the economy.



Secretary of State

 Portrait

Peter Kyle
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology

Shadow Ministers / Spokeperson
Liberal Democrat
Lord Clement-Jones (LD - Life peer)
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Science, Innovation and Technology)
Victoria Collins (LD - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Science, Innovation & Technology)

Conservative
Alan Mak (Con - Havant)
Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Viscount Camrose (Con - Excepted Hereditary)
Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
Lord Markham (Con - Life peer)
Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
Ben Spencer (Con - Runnymede and Weybridge)
Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
Ministers of State
Chris Bryant (Lab - Rhondda and Ogmore)
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Lord Vallance of Balham (Lab - Life peer)
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Lab - Life peer)
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Feryal Clark (Lab - Enfield North)
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
There are no upcoming events identified
Debates
Monday 19th May 2025
Select Committee Docs
None available
Select Committee Inquiry
None available
Written Answers
Tuesday 20th May 2025
Semiconductors: Skilled Workers
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that …
Secondary Legislation
None available
Bills
Wednesday 23rd October 2024
Data (Use and Access) Bill [HL] 2024-26
A bill to make provision about access to customer data and business data; to make provision about services consisting of …
Dept. Publications
Tuesday 20th May 2025
00:01

Department for Science, Innovation & Technology Commons Appearances

Oral Answers to Questions is a regularly scheduled appearance where the Secretary of State and junior minister will answer at the Dispatch Box questions from backbench MPs

Other Commons Chamber appearances can be:
  • Urgent Questions where the Speaker has selected a question to which a Minister must reply that day
  • Adjornment Debates a 30 minute debate attended by a Minister that concludes the day in Parliament.
  • Oral Statements informing the Commons of a significant development, where backbench MP's can then question the Minister making the statement.

Westminster Hall debates are performed in response to backbench MPs or e-petitions asking for a Minister to address a detailed issue

Written Statements are made when a current event is not sufficiently significant to require an Oral Statement, but the House is required to be informed.

Most Recent Commons Appearances by Category
May. 14
Oral Questions
May. 07
Urgent Questions
May. 14
Westminster Hall
May. 06
Adjournment Debate
View All Department for Science, Innovation & Technology Commons Contibutions

Bills currently before Parliament

Department for Science, Innovation & Technology does not have Bills currently before Parliament


Acts of Parliament created in the 2024 Parliament

Department for Science, Innovation & Technology has not passed any Acts during the 2024 Parliament

Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Trending Petitions
Petitions with most signatures
Petition Debates Contributed

We believe social media companies should be banned from letting children under 16 create social media accounts.

View All Department for Science, Innovation & Technology Petitions

50 most recent Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department

15th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the semiconductor skills package increases skills in science sectors.

The £4.75 million semiconductor skills package will increase the supply of skilled science and engineering workers. It includes school outreach in regional clusters, chip design courses for undergraduates, and a flagship semiconductor bursary scheme for 300 students starting Electronics and Electrical Engineering degrees, all of which will increase skill supply for the UK’s sector. This initiative will help key growth hubs like the South Wales Compound Semiconductor Cluster access the expertise needed to thrive and for the UK sector to achieve projected revenues of £16.7 billion by 2030.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
13th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, which chemicals will be used in the Advanced Research and Invention Agency's geoengineering program.

ARIA is an independent research body and they are conducting cautious, controlled research aimed at improving understanding of its Climate Cooling Programme’s risks and impacts. This will produce important information for decisions on climate cooling approaches around the world.

The government supports ARIA’s mission to fund transformational research programmes with long-term benefits. A select number of controlled, small-scale projects will explore spraying seawater as a potential way to enhance cloud reflectivity. Another project involves a study on how milligram quantities of mineral dusts age in the stratosphere. The project has specified that none of these materials will be released into the atmosphere in this experiment, and all the materials will be returned to the ground for recovery and analysis by scientists.

Details of all of ARIA’s funded projects within its ‘Climate Cooling Programme’ can be found on their website

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
9th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to encourage academic research collaboration between UK and Ukrainian universities.

The UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership sets out how the UK and Ukraine build long-term military, economic and cultural ties. This includes through science, technology and innovation collaboration – both to drive mutual growth and support Ukraine’s R&D sector. Since 2022, we have supported over 100 pairs of UK and Ukrainian universities through the University Twinning Programme, providing over £5 million of Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Research England funding to work together. We also support UK and Ukrainian Innovators to work together through the UK-Ukraine Techbridge and over 170 Ukrainian researchers to continue their research at UK universities through the Researchers at Risk Programme.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
1st May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of developing an integrated digital strategy in West Berkshire.

We are committed to supporting public service productivity in all regions of the UK, and that includes helping unlock the benefits of digital transformation. The Blueprint for modern digital government launched in January sets out a six-point plan for public sector digital transformation. Government Digital Service has been engaging with local digital practitioners from across the UK, including West Berkshire specifically, as part of the local government collaboration sprint. Work across local government includes expanding GOV.UK One Login and other common components; supporting innovation and reforms in the local government technology market and enabling greater access to data through the National Data Library.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
14th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what comparative assessment he has made of the regulatory approach by (a) the UK and (b) other advanced digital economies on enforcing a minimum age for the use of encrypted messaging services.

End-to-end encryption is a vital part of our digital world, and the government supports its responsible use. However, encryption should not allow tech companies to forego their responsibilities around keeping their users safe.

The Online Safety Act includes some of the strongest protections globally to ensure children are protected in encrypted environments. Section 121 gives Ofcom the power to issue tech notices to regulated services to deal with CSEA content, even if this is communicated within an encrypted environment.

The government continues to monitor international developments in this space.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
7th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what information his Department holds on the number of Departments that use the Redbox AI chatbot.

Redbox is available in DSIT, the Prime Minister's Office and the Cabinet Office. The Department for Business and Trade also runs its own instance of Redbox.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
8th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure sustainable energy use in AI growth zones.

The Government recognises the importance of continued innovation and efficiency of AI infrastructure as we deliver AI Growth Zones (AIGZs).

AIGZs will seek to shift energy demand to areas with greater capacity, reducing pressure on congested parts of the grid. DSIT is working closely with DESNZ and the NESO to align AI energy demand with future energy planning and long-term sustainability.

The AI Energy Council, co-chaired by the Secretaries of State for DSIT and DESNZ, will explore clean energy solutions for AI infrastructure, including small modular reactors and next-gen renewables, to ensure our AI ambitions align with the UK’s net zero goals.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
8th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Cabinet Siting and Pole Siting Code of Practice 2016 on the number of complaints from residents about the proposed site locations of new poles and cabinets for telecommunications equipment.

The Government is aware of public concerns about the deployment of additional broadband infrastructure, despite the guidance provided in the Cabinet Siting and Pole Siting Code of Practice 2016. This is why I asked operators to consider revising the Code of Practice to take into account communities’ concerns. Operators have responded by convening the Telecommunications Poles Working Group, which has now published its best practice recommendations, setting out expectations for how operators can pay due regard to community interests. The Government will continue to monitor the impact of these recommendations on public concern about the deployment of broadband infrastructure.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
8th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he has taken to prevent hostile state actors from exploiting UK research institutions; and what assessment her Department has made of potential Chinese involvement in sensitive academic collaborations.

We have a robust approach to risk in the research sector, working to ensure that institutions are alert to security risks and able to make informed decisions when collaborating internationally, backed by the government's comprehensive regulatory powers.

We are seeking to bring a consistent, long term and strategic approach to managing our science and technology relations with China, rooted in UK and global interests. Our approach remains to enhance the UK’s long-term prosperity, while never compromising on economic and national security.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
8th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing spending on research and development.

Research and development (R&D) is key to our agenda to boost growth and improve lives by maximising the potential of science and technology. Investment in R&D underpins the innovations that help the UK boost productivity and create high-paid jobs. UK public R&D has been estimated to have an average rate of return of 40% 6 years after the investment is made. Each pound invested also leverages on average £2 of private investment in the long run.

DSIT's R&D budget has risen to £13.9bn in 2025/26, an increase of 8.5% in real terms compared to its 2024/25 budget. R&D funding beyond 2025/26 is subject to the next phase of the Spending Review, which will conclude in June.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
1st May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government how many, and which, of the 39 outcomes in the National Cyber Security Centre Cyber Assessment Framework are complied with by Gov.uk One Login; and what steps they are taking to ensure Gov.uk One Login achieves all 39 outcomes.

The Government does not routinely comment on operational security matters. GOV.UK One Login works closely with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to identify and mitigate risks and align to the Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF). The programme is committed to achieving CAF compliance by the end of 2025/26, in line with Government standards.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
7th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what plans his Department has to ensure access to gigabit broadband for (a) homes and (b) businesses not covered by (i) Project Gigabit and (ii) commercial rollout plans.

The vast majority of premises will be covered by commercial activity or Project Gigabit, but it will remain too expensive to build a gigabit capable connection to a very small proportion of premises on either a commercial or subsidised basis. The government is exploring options for the kind of support that might be required and appropriate to ensure sufficient, affordable and reliable connectivity in these cases.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
8th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to ensure that cardiovascular disease is included in the upcoming Life Sciences Plan.

The Life Sciences Sector Plan will focus on enabling world-class R&D, making the UK an outstanding place to start, scale, and invest in life sciences, and driving healthcare innovation and reform. This approach will cement the UK’s global leadership in life sciences and support high-growth businesses, deliver better health outcomes across various diseases – including cardiovascular disease.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
1st May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that artificial intelligence start-up firms founded in the United Kingdom remain based here as they scale their businesses.

The Government is committed to supporting the digital economy, removing barriers to inclusive economic growth, and ensuring that the UK remains one of the best places in the world for our great tech businesses to start, scale and stay.

Programmes such as the SEIS/EIS schemes and R&D Tax Credits demonstrate the UK’s commitment to supporting tech companies in thriving in the UK.

The AI Action Plan sets out our intention to support the growth ambitions of businesses across the AI sector. Initiatives include opening the AI Research Resource to a wider pool of SMEs to drive forward new AI-enabled innovations, fostering national champions within the UK startup ecosystem, and unlocking data assets for startups to access.

Lord Vallance of Balham
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
7th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to support the (a) development and (b) deployment of artificial intelligence to reduce the use of animals in scientific (i) research and (ii) testing.

The Labour Manifesto commits to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”. While it is not yet possible to replace all animal use, we support the development and application of approaches that replace, reduce and refine animal use in research (the 3Rs), including via artificial intelligence. The Prime Minister launched the AI Opportunities Action Plan in January which outlined 50 actions needed to drive up the development and deployment of AI.

The Government will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods later this year.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
7th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will take steps to ensure Project Gigabit includes addresses with (a) PE30 3RW, (b) PE30 3BZ and (c) PE30 3NQ postcodes.

CityFibre is currently delivering a Project Gigabit contract across Norfolk.

However, Building Digital UK’s (BDUK) regular market reviews have indicated that premises in the PE30 3RW, PE30 3BZ and PE30 3NQ postcode areas are likely to be included in suppliers’ future commercial plans and should receive a gigabit-capable connection without the need for public subsidy.

BDUK continually monitors suppliers' commercial plans and, if it becomes apparent that these commercial plans will not deliver as expected, premises in these postcode areas may then become eligible for inclusion within the scope of Project Gigabit.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
7th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking with (a) broadband network infrastructure providers, (b) local authorities and (c) utility companies to prevent vouchers issued under the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme from expiring before rollout to premises is completed; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of renewing expired vouchers where works are not completed by the required deadline.

Vouchers issued under the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme are valid for 12 months from the date issued. Building Digital UK (BDUK) maintains regular contact with local authorities and broadband suppliers to discuss any issues relating to the delivery of voucher projects, and suppliers can request an extension if they are experiencing delays to their rollout due to third parties, for example as a result of wayleave application and civil works.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
7th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, for what reason funding was allocated to the Advanced Research and Invention Agency to support research into solar radiation modification techniques.

As set out in ARIA's Framework Agreement, ARIA has unique operational freedoms, including over its research and project choice and its procedures. This independence allows ARIA to take bold steps to better understand the world we live in, and the Government supports ARIA exploring critical areas like this.

The Government is not in favour of using Solar Radiation Modification. ARIA is an independent research body, and they are conducting cautious, controlled research aimed at improving understanding of its risks and impacts. This will produce important information for decisions around the world.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
30th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to regulate artificial intelligence chatbots, particularly in regard to the generation of harmful content that may affect young people.

Generative AI services - including chatbots - are regulated by the Online Safety Act where they allow users to share content, or they search the internet to provide responses. Such services are required to assess and mitigate the risk of harm to users from illegal content and services likely to be accessed by children will need to protect them from harmful content.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
30th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement the recommendations of the Independent Pornography Review to address the availability of violent online pornography.

The Government published the final report of the Independent Pornography Review on 27 February. The Review found violent pornography is common and easily available online. It is right that the government takes time to understand this complex, deeply important topic. A further update will be provided in due course.

The Online Safety Act requires services publishing or hosting user-generated pornographic content to prevent children from accessing it using highly effective age assurance. Extreme pornography is a priority offence under the Act, requiring services to proactively mitigate and remove this illegal content on their platforms.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
12th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help develop supply chains for (a) compound semiconductors and (b) other critical semiconductor materials.

This Government is supporting the development of supply chains for compound semiconductors and other critical semiconductor materials as part of our work to deliver the upcoming Industrial Strategy, which includes Digital and Technologies as a priority growth-driving sector. We recently secured a £250 million investment from one of the world’s largest manufacturers of semiconductors - Vishay Technologies – into the UK’s largest semiconductor facility as part of plans to develop large-scale compound semiconductor manufacturing in the UK, supported by the government’s Automotive Transformation Fund. Investments such as this will help develop UK supply chains in this high growth area of technology.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
17th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many staff in (a) his Department and (b) UKRI and the Research Councils have job titles that include the words (i) equality, (ii) diversity, (iii) inclusion, (iv) gender, (v) LGBT and (vi) race.

(a) There are 4 staff within DSIT with one or more of the terms in their job title, the individual breakdowns are as follows - Equality: 0, Diversity: 0, Inclusion: 4, Race: 0, Gender: 0, LGBT: 0.

(b) There are 20 staff within UKRI and its research councils with one or more of the terms in their job title, the individual breakdowns are as follows: (note: some staff have multiple terms in their job title, while some staff only have one term in their job title, so the numbers below are greater than 20) - Equality: 18, Diversity: 18, Inclusion: 19, Race: 1, Gender: 0, LGBT: 0

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
12th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the US Food and Drug Administration's publication entitled Roadmap to Reducing Animal Testing in Preclinical Safety Studies, published on 10 April 2025.

It is not yet possible to replace all animal use due to the complexity of biological systems and regulatory requirements for their use. The Government has reviewed the FDA roadmap and is engaging with the MHRA on how to accelerate the science-led adoption of alternatives to the use of animals for drug development and testing. The Government will publish a strategy later this year that will support this ambition and accelerate the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods across the biosciences.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
8th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help improve mobile phone coverage in rural areas.

The Shared Rural Network continues to deliver 4G connectivity where there is limited or no coverage. Beyond this, our ambition is for all populated areas, including rural communities, to have higher quality standalone 5G by 2030.

We are working with Ofcom and the industry to ensure we have the right policy and regulatory framework to support investment and competition in the market.

Ofcom have written to me confirming that their improved online coverage checker will go live in the second half of June, which will better reflect people’s real experience. A copy of my letter and their letter has been deposited in the libraries of both houses.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
8th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress he has made on improving broadband connectivity in rural areas.

Project Gigabit is the government’s programme to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to UK premises not included in suppliers' commercial plans.

As of the end of March 2024, over one million premises had been upgraded to gigabit-capable broadband through government-funded programmes.

More than £2.3 billion of contracts have already been signed to connect over one million more premises with gigabit-capable broadband, predominantly in rural areas.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
8th May 2025
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Data (Use and Access) Bill [Lords] on the capture of sex data in public services.

The Data Bill does not alter data collection practices for public services.

Public service providers processing personal data are still subject to compliance requirements under data protection legislation.

The Government accepts the Supreme Court Ruling. We are working through this judgement carefully, including on how public services collect (and subsequently process) sex data in public services.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
23rd Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending Cyber Local 2025-26 to Northern Ireland.

As of April 2025, the way that Devolved Administrations (DAs) receive funding for cyber security has changed. Previously ringfenced cyber budgets will be absorbed into departmental baselines and provided directly to DAs in their overall HM Treasury settlement.

The revised funding arrangements further support DAs, including the Northern Ireland Executive, to make their own choices about how to champion the cyber sector in each part of the UK. DSIT will continue to engage with the Northern Ireland Executive on how to assist the cyber sector, including through the Cyber Local programme.

DSIT continues to support the successful cyber ecosystem in Northern Ireland with key investments such as the Cyber AI Hub programme at Queen’s University Belfast.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
29th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of including Northern Ireland as an eligible region for Cyber Local funding in 2025-26.

As of April 2025, the way that Devolved Administrations (DAs) receive funding for cyber security has changed. Previously ringfenced cyber budgets will be absorbed into departmental baselines and provided directly to DAs in their overall HM Treasury settlement.

The revised funding arrangements further support DAs, including the Northern Ireland Executive, to make their own choices about how to champion the cyber sector in each part of the UK. DSIT will continue to engage with the Northern Ireland Executive on how to assist the cyber sector, including through the Cyber Local programme.

DSIT continues to support the successful cyber ecosystem in Northern Ireland with key investments such as the Cyber AI Hub programme at Queen’s University Belfast.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
29th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether Northern Ireland will receive funding from Cyber Local in 2025-26.

As of April 2025, the way that Devolved Administrations (DAs) receive funding for cyber security has changed. Previously ringfenced cyber budgets will be absorbed into departmental baselines and provided directly to DAs in their overall HM Treasury settlement.

The revised funding arrangements further support DAs, including the Northern Ireland Executive, to make their own choices about how to champion the cyber sector in each part of the UK. DSIT will continue to engage with the Northern Ireland Executive on how to assist the cyber sector, including through the Cyber Local programme.

DSIT continues to support the successful cyber ecosystem in Northern Ireland with key investments such as the Cyber AI Hub programme at Queen’s University Belfast.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
8th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to support innovation in areas without mayoral devolution agreements.

We want to support local leaders to unlock their regions’ innovation potential – ensuring everyone benefits from innovation-led growth. Regardless of whether they have a Mayor or are a local authority. That’s why UK Research and Innovation invests in innovation across the UK, including through the £316 million Strength in Places Fund and £80 million Launchpads programmes. These are bolstering clusters in areas with and without devolution agreements. UKRI has awarded £85,000 to Ultraframe UK in the Ribble Valley, to develop high quality retrofit solutions.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
8th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to ensure the accessibility of Government digital services in Banbury.

The Government Digital Service (GDS) role is to ensure the delivery of digital services that work for all of our citizens. That includes monitoring the services each departments delivers online - to make sure they are providing support for citizens with low technical skills.

Additionally, there is strong regulation in place to provide technical specifications to improve the accessibility of websites and many other digital experiences to ensure that no citizen is left behind during this government's digital revolution.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
29th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 1 April (HL5869), and in the light of the requirements of the Government Efficiency Framework, published 19 July 2023, whether they will publish (1) the full disaggregated breakdown of the £45 billion estimate in annual savings and productivity benefits by department and public body; (2) the corresponding cash-releasing and non-cash-releasing savings; and (3) the estimated investment required to achieve these savings.

Details on the £45 billion figure were published as part of the State of Digital government review. The £45 billion figure referenced reflects an estimate of potential long-term annual benefits from digital transformation across the public sector, covering simplifying and automating routine tasks, shifting transactions to cheaper digital channels, and reducing fraud and error. Estimates include both cash-releasing and non-cash-releasing benefits. The estimate is designed to highlight the value at stake and not to inform specific organisational implementation through disaggregation. The Government Efficiency Framework (GEF) does not require savings estimates to be disaggregated or published. Any implementation of projects to deliver this value will require further departmental analysis and appraisal, including cost and benefit realisation in accordance with the Green Book.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
29th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have had discussions with BT about publishing a geographical timetable for the Digital Voice rollout, particularly for rural areas.

The Government is determined to ensure that any risks of the industry-led migration from the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), also known as Digital Voice, are mitigated for all customers across the UK.

Communication providers, including BT, signed a voluntary PSTN Charter in December 2023, committing them to protecting vulnerable consumers during the PSTN migration. In November 2024, providers agreed to additional safeguards in the Non-Voluntary Migrations Checklist. The Government is engaging regularly with the signatories of the Charter to monitor their plans and to ensure compliance with the Checklist.

The Government have not requested that providers publish geographical timetables. Providers are migrating customers only when the safeguards are in place. Further, providers are starting migrating the least vulnerable customers first, regardless of geography.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
1st May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the retrospective impact of the implementation of Sections (a) 58, (b) 59 and (c) 61-64 of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 and if he will list the limited retrospective effects identified by his Department.

The principle of collective responsibility requires that the privacy of ministerial discussions at cabinet and its committees be maintained. It is a long standing precedent that details of these proceedings are not disclosed publicly.

Sections 58 and 59 introduced limited retrospective rights to upgrade and share apparatus situated under land in specific circumstances. Sections 61 – 64 may have limited retrospective effect once in force: potentially affecting the terms on which affected agreements are renewed on expiry, but not directly altering the terms of any existing agreements. A consultation on draft regulations to commence sections 61-64 is open until 2 July.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
6th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had recent discussions with animal protection groups on phasing out animal experiments.

The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”, which is a long-term goal. The government will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods later this year. The Government will also be hosting a roundtable shortly with representatives from animal welfare organisations to discuss the strategy.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
6th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he has taken to protect people in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency, (b) Staffordshire and (c) the UK from cyber attack.

The cyber security of the UK is a priority for the government. We are taking a range of action to protect people, businesses and the economy from cyber threats. This year the government will introduce the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill to improve UK cyber defences and better secure our essential services and the IT infrastructure they rely upon. In Staffordshire, the Cyber Resilience Centre for the West Midlands is part of a nationwide police-led collaboration helping strengthen cyber resilience in small and medium-sized businesses, while the Cyber PROTECT Network operates in every police force area, providing advice and guidance to individuals to help protect against a range of threats and provide support to victims. The government’s Stop! Think Fraud campaign provides the public with advice on how to prevent fraud and cyber crime.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
6th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 47133 on Mobile Broadbands, whether the implementation of part two of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 will be included in the review of the telecommunications market.

The Government is continually engaged with developments in the mobile sector. This involves considering sector-wide investment challenges and technological innovations and their impact on the market and rollout of high-quality infrastructure, as well as mobile signal and coverage issues and the quality of service afforded to mobile customers. This is separate to the Government’s work on the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022. The Government monitors the impacts of the PSTI Act reforms through ongoing tracking of progress against connectivity targets and stakeholder engagement.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
29th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any disparity in treatment between landline-only customers and those with broadband packages by BT’s Digital Voice rollout; and whether those with copper broadband will be able to terminate their broadband contract and retain a copper landline for telephone use only.

No assessment of any disparity in treatment has been made. It will not be possible to retain a copper landline for telephone use only. From April 2024 to March 2025, there were over 2,600 major incidents on the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), each affecting 500 or more customers. The decision to upgrade the PSTN has been taken by industry and is a necessity.

The PSTN migration does not affect the universal service obligations in the Electronic Communications Order 2003 which require the designated providers (BT and KCOM) to offer landline-only services throughout the UK. It is therefore possible to order a Voice over Internet Protocol landline without purchasing a general internet connection.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
29th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of BT’s Digital Voice rollout, what assessment they have made of residences lacking sufficient mains electricity supply to consistently run a router and a modern telephone.

The Government is determined to ensure any risks arising from the industry-led migration of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), also known as Digital Voice, are mitigated for all customers across the UK.

In November 2024, providers, including BT, agreed to safeguards in the Non-Voluntary Migrations Checklist including requirements to provide resilience solutions, such as battery back-up units, for vulnerable customers, including the landline-dependent, to enable access to emergency organisations for at least one hour in a power outage. A number of communication providers have gone beyond this minimum, providing solutions that provide 4 to 7 hours that customers can use to power their router during a power cut.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
29th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decision to rename Ofcom's Advisory Committee on Disinformation and Misinformation the "Committee for Online Information"; and whether the Committee will still have the remit of tackling misinformation.

Ofcom and its advisory committees are independent of government. The name of the advisory committee is therefore a matter for Ofcom.

The Online Safety Act makes the Committee’s role clear. The Act mandates that the Committee must advise the regulator on how providers should address mis- and disinformation on their services. It also requires them to advise Ofcom on exercising their transparency powers and fulfilling their statutory duty to promote media literacy in relation to mis- and disinformation. These duties remain unchanged and will be the focus of the new Online Information Advisory Committee.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
29th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to their policy statement on the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, published on 1 April, what assessment they have made of the potential increase in regulatory burdens on cybersecurity professionals.

Cyber criminals are attacking our public services and businesses with increased frequency, costing billions of pounds per year. The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will protect more digital businesses than ever, essential services that the public rely on and our national security. The government is committed to minimising additional costs to business and will set out a full assessment of this in an impact assessment, to be published upon introduction of the Bill.

My department is working across government, including working closely with departments who act as cyber sector regulators, to deliver the government’s commitment to reducing the gap in cyber skills. Our assessment of this is set out in the Cyber Security Skills in the UK Labour Market Survey. The priority skillset for the Bill will be the Audit and Assurance specialism, as defined by the UK Cyber Security Council. We have made strides in reducing the gap in these skills this year with a reported fall to 18%, down from 28% in 2023.

Lord Vallance of Balham
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
29th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology has had with other Cabinet ministers on (1) the scarcity of cybersecurity skills in the UK, and (2) the potential impact of the forthcoming Cyber Security and Resilience Bill on the availability of cybersecurity talent.

Cyber criminals are attacking our public services and businesses with increased frequency, costing billions of pounds per year. The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will protect more digital businesses than ever, essential services that the public rely on and our national security. The government is committed to minimising additional costs to business and will set out a full assessment of this in an impact assessment, to be published upon introduction of the Bill.

My department is working across government, including working closely with departments who act as cyber sector regulators, to deliver the government’s commitment to reducing the gap in cyber skills. Our assessment of this is set out in the Cyber Security Skills in the UK Labour Market Survey. The priority skillset for the Bill will be the Audit and Assurance specialism, as defined by the UK Cyber Security Council. We have made strides in reducing the gap in these skills this year with a reported fall to 18%, down from 28% in 2023.

Lord Vallance of Balham
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
29th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government how many critical and high-risk vulnerabilities remained open in the live One Login system on 1 April, and what is the target date for full remediation.

GOV.UK One Login follows the relevant security standards for government and private sector services, and we take addressing security concerns very seriously. As of 1 May, all critical and high vulnerabilities have been addressed. Risk mitigation will continue to be central to our approach to ensure we keep pace with the constantly changing cyber threat landscape.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
29th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Cabinet Office has quantified the likelihood and potential impact of insider threats, unauthorised privileged access, and production environment compromise within One Login, as required by ISO 27001 standards and guidance from the National Cyber Security Centre for cloud-hosted government services; and whether they will place copies of such assessments in the Library of the House.

The GOV.UK One Login team collaborates closely with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to assess and mitigate risks associated with insider threats, unauthorised privileged access, and production environment compromise, aligning with the Cyber Assessment Framework outlined in the Government Cyber Security Strategy 2022-2030. Although the programme does not specifically pursue ISO 27001 certification, it adopts multiple overlapping controls and the risk management framework is based on the HMG Orange Book, which is closely aligned with ISO 27005 guidance on managing information security risks.

While assessments of insider threats have been made, copies of these assessments will not be placed in the Library of the House, as they are part of ongoing security measures and internal governance processes.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
29th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government how many instances of production environment access to the One Login system were recorded in each month since July 2022; and, for each month, how many of those instances involved individuals who did not hold full Security Check clearance at the time of access.

GOV.UK One Login takes the security clearance and audit of personnel very seriously. Access to production is granted only to those that require it and is closely monitored. As part of strengthening our approach to privileged access management, all individuals with production access to GOV.UK One Login must undergo a Security Check (SC), alongside further two-person checks for changes and audit loggings of actions. One Login has implemented a policy of SC clearance for all development staff; this is higher than Baselines Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) which is considered sufficient across many parts of government.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
29th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any component of the One Login service was developed offshore without prior consultation with the National Cyber Security Centre; and whether the Government have retrospectively approved any such arrangements.

No personnel developed components of the One Login service offshore without prior consultation with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). We undertook a risk assessment in consultation with the NCSC before any offshore development by a small number of developers took place.

Any code in GOV.UK One Login that was produced by overseas staff was further subjected to a review by a staff member with Security Check clearance in the UK before it was deployed to production. As of March 2025, there is no longer any off-shored development on GOV.UK One Login.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
29th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government why they have not published a mandatory Data Protection Impact Assessment for One Login; whether they obtained explicit user consent for biometric processing prior to live rollout; and whether they conducted statutory prior consultation with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

It is not a mandatory requirement to publish a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA). We do have an obligation to let citizens know how we are processing their data, which we do via a privacy notice published on GOV.UK. We continually develop our DPIA to take into account the new identity verification journeys, such as the no photo ID route. Nevertheless, we are working on a publishable version of our DPIA which will be easy to digest for the public. The One Login programme meets with the Information Commissioners’ Office (ICO) on a monthly basis, engaging openly on programme developments, including iterations of the DPIA, and has been doing so since 2022. The lawful basis for data sharing in place has been agreed by the ICO.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
29th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to exempt off-grid premises from BT's Digital Voice transition.

The Government is working with the telecoms industry and Ofcom, the independent telecoms regulator, to ensure the migration happens safely. In November 2024 major communication providers agreed additional safeguards to protect vulnerable customers. It is for BT to determine their process for the migration, including for those in off-grid premises.

The Government is determined to ensure all risks arising from the industry-led migration of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), also known as Digital Voice, are mitigated for all customers across the UK.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
29th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the National Cyber Security Centre has warned about shortcomings with the One Login system, including risks of bulk personal data breach and mass impersonation fraud; and whether such warnings were shared with the Infrastructure and Projects Authority or the Cabinet Office Audit and Risk Committee.

The GOV.UK One Login programme works closely with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to identify and mitigate risks and align to the Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF). NCSC advises One Login on any key risks which should be prioritised as part of our security efforts. This independent review by NCSC is something we encourage and have continued to prioritise since the programme was established. As a Government Major Projects Portfolio programme (GMPP), the programme is subject to regular internal and external scrutiny and reporting. The Infrastructure and Projects Authority has reviewed the programme positively in the last three Assurance Gateway Reviews.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)