Asked by: Lord Mott (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the merits of developing a digital identity framework; and (2) its feasibility and impact.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
In response to the 2019 call for evidence on digital identity, the Government committed to enabling the use of secure digital identities in the UK by creating a framework of standards, legislation and governance. In 2021, a consultation on digital identity gathered further views on the development of a legal and regulatory framework.
The Government’s UK digital identity and attributes trust framework sets out rules for digital verification services. It has been developed iteratively through extensive engagement with the ICO, civil society and industry stakeholders to help ensure that it meets the needs of users. The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 will underpin this framework with statutory duties on the Secretary of State, including a duty to consult and to conduct annual reviews. Over 50 services are already certified against the trust framework and delivering digital verification services across the UK economy.
Asked by: Lord Mott (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what guiding principles or policy frameworks are informing their internal discussions on the future of digital identity policy.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA), within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, is committed to enabling the use of secure and trusted digital verification services across the UK economy for those who want to use them.
In response to the findings of the 2019 call for evidence on digital identity, the Government set out six principles to inform the development of digital identity policy in the UK. These are privacy, transparency, inclusivity, interoperability, proportionality, and good governance. The Government’s UK digital identity and attributes trust framework, which sets out rules for digital verification services that wish to be certified as trustworthy and will be underpinned by provisions in the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, is based around these principles.
Asked by: Lord Mott (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to consult stakeholders, including civil society and industry representatives, on the potential introduction of a digital ID system.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA), part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, is committed to enabling the use of secure and trusted digital verification services across the UK economy for those who want to use them.
This work is informed by responses to a 2019 call for evidence on digital identity that requested views on how the Government can support the development and secure use of digital identities and was followed by an extensive consultation process.
OfDIA continues to regularly engage with stakeholders, including digital verification providers, industry bodies, civil society, academics and organisations interested in adopting digital identities.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that training provided to civil servants through the Google partnership includes guidance on artificial intelligence bias, data ethics and accountability.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We have not yet agreed with Google as to how this training will be delivered but HMG will expect Google to adhere to the principles and standards in the Artificial Intelligence Playbook for the UK Government, published in February 2025.
Principles include: understanding AI and its limitations; and using AI lawfully, ethically, responsibly and securely. Specifically, the paper references training on ethical considerations, including bias mitigation and human oversight.
Additionally, the paper provides clear guidance on governance and oversight and that initiatives align with broader goals of societal benefit, ensuring that public trust is maintained and that AI contributes positively to public service.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what funding will be available for digital inclusion for the period of the Spending Review 2025 for 2026–29; and if no funding has been determined, when it will be.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is committed to delivering digital inclusion for everyone across the UK, regardless of their circumstances. In the current financial year, we’ll back local digital inclusion initiatives up and down the country, including by launching a new £9.5mn Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund. The full detail of DSIT's longer-term spending plans is still being considered, and further information will be provided to stakeholders as allocations are decided later in the year.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following Microsoft's decision to suspend services to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, whether they plan to regulate technology providers in the UK to ensure that the provision of services takes place under a framework of UK law.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
All regulated entities in the UK, including technology providers, are required to operate within the UK legal framework.
Asked by: Lord Mott (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any departmental or cross-governmental working groups have been established to explore digital identity policy; and if so, what are their remit and proposed timetable.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA), within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, is responsible for maintaining the standards, governance and legislation that helps people to identify trusted and secure digital identity services.
OfDIA regularly engages with cross-government colleagues regarding digital identity policy, including work to remove regulatory barriers to adoption in different use cases where these exist. OfDIA also facilitates regular technical working groups for cross-government collaboration, which provide input into the development of standards, guidance and best practice that support the Government’s digital identity work.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to make more affordable connectivity for people on very low incomes one of their priorities.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government aims to make online access affordable for everyone. The Digital Inclusion Action Plan, published in February 2025, targets the removal of affordability barriers by 2030, ensuring all citizens have affordable, reliable internet and suitable devices.
A range of social tariffs are available, including for those on very low incomes, provided for by the telecoms industry. We continue to urge the industry to raise awareness of these low cost deals for those on means tested benefits, and encourage them to maintain provision.
This is part of wider efforts to address digital exclusion, especially for low-income households, older people, disabled individuals, and the unemployed.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will finalise their priorities for action on digital inclusion under the Digital Inclusion Action Plan: First Steps, published on 26 February.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is delivering on the commitments it made in the Digital Inclusion Action Plan published in February. Progress continues to be made on each of these. Future priorities will be informed by the Call for Evidence launched alongside the Action Plan; this closed on 9 April 2025 and a summary of responses was published on GOV.UK on 17 July 2025. Ongoing collaboration across government departments and with external partners, input from the Digital Inclusion Action Committee and DSIT’s longer-term spending plans, currently still being considered, will also contribute to the shaping of priorities.
Asked by: Lord Mott (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of international trends and standards in digital identity policy; and what discussions they have had with international partners regarding potential adoption of a digital identity policy.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government continues to assess international trends and standards in digital identity policy and implementation. This includes benchmarking the UK’s digital identity and attributes trust framework against other comparable international frameworks and guidelines. The Government also regularly engages with a range of international partners on a bilateral and multilateral basis.