Asked by: Baroness Redfern (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are providing to communities to access media literacy education and bridge the digital divide.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Government has adopted a holistic approach to digital inclusion, integrating digital skills and media literacy. The Digital Inclusion Action Plan outlines steps towards delivering digital inclusion and bridging the digital divide, including supporting community initiatives for boosting digital skills and media literacy. Through our TechFirst programme, we are committed to giving one million students in schools and colleges across the UK the chance to develop their digital skills.
Under their Online Safety Act media literacy duties, Ofcom is developing a ‘place-based’ model to embed media literacy into community digital strategies, working with the Good Things Foundation to support Digital Inclusion Hubs to offer media literacy support.
Prevent’s network of Civil Society Organisations also deliver projects across England & Wales related to media literacy and critical thinking skills.
Asked by: Baroness Redfern (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of poor media literacy on young people's employability.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
According to the Essential Digital Skills Framework, media literacy-related skills, including understanding online risks, are essential for work. FutureDotNow research funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology showed that improving essential skills such as media literacy delivers measurable value to society and the economy.
The government’s Digital Inclusion Action Plan outlines steps towards delivering digital inclusion and media literacy for everyone in the UK. Through our Tech First programme, we are committed to giving one million students in schools and colleges across the UK the chance to develop their digital skills. We welcome the report of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, published on 4 November, which recommends children should be taught how to spot fake news and disinformation, including AI-generated content, and develop critical thinking skills to help protect themselves online.
Asked by: Baroness Redfern (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to accelerate the development, validation and uptake of new technologies and methods to reduce reliance on the use of animals in science; and what is their timetable for the publication of any such plans.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
On Monday 19th February, Andrew Griffith MP, Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation announced that the government will be publishing a plan to accelerate the development, validation, and uptake of technologies and methods to reduce reliance on the use of animals in science. This will be led by a cross-government group that will consult stakeholders in industry, academia, and charities to develop a detailed plan, which will be published in the summer.