Asked by: Jen Craft (Labour - Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to reduce digital exclusion in Thurrock constituency.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We know that digital exclusion is a complex issue, and that a reported 6% of residents in the Essex region do not use the internet. That is why we launched the Digital Inclusion Action Plan which sets out the first five actions we are taking over the next year to boost digital inclusion in every corner of the UK, including in Thurrock.
One of those first five actions was launching the £9.5m Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund in August. It’s designed to support and expand local community initiatives to help get people online.