Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Green Excerpts

Wednesday 6th February 2019 Commons Chamber

The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster was asked—

[Chris Green (Bolton West) (Con)]

1. What steps he is taking to encourage the use of innovative technologies to improve the delivery of public services.

[The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Oliver Dowden)]

Last month I announced five new public sector challenges, to be funded from the £20 million GovTech innovation fund. In the spring we will publish a strategy for the use of innovation in public services.

[Chris Green]

Can my hon. Friend confirm that the GovTech fund is being used to identify technologies with the potential to improve medical care and deliver better services at a lower cost?

[Oliver Dowden]

I am delighted to confirm that to my hon. Friend. There is huge potential here for improvement in public services. So far the GovTech Catalyst has funded two health-related challenges: the first seeks to improve the medication pathway for people entering custody, and the second will assess how machine learning could improve prediction and provision in relation to adult social care.