Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether, and if so why, they are advocating for parish councils to change to ‘gov.uk’ domain names and associated email addresses for councillors; and what assessment, if any, they have made of the cost of such a change.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government has advocated for Parish Councils to use .gov.uk domains for their websites and email accounts although there is no legal obligation to do so. This helps councillors to use government branded email for official business, have additional security benefits and meet legal obligations such as Freedom of Information and Data Subject Access Requests.
The Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has helped to lower the cost of buying .gov.uk domain names and has set up the Parish Council Domains Helper Service to support councils, which choose to move to .gov.uk. The department also works with the National Association of Local Councils and Society of Local County Clerks to support their efforts to professionalise the Parish Council sector.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to the review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender, commissioned by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many responses have been received to (1) Strand 1, and (2) Strand 2, of the call for evidence; whether the date to submit the final report remains 31 August; and what is the planned timing for the Department to publish that final report.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This is an independent review which is ongoing, and as such responses have not been directed to the Department.
As per the Terms of Reference, final reporting will be submitted by the end of August 2024. Upon receipt, the government will consider the report.