Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of using the Digital Information and Smart Data Bill to extend the list of cookie exemptions to include (a) advertising performance and (b) audience measurement cookies.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
There is a balance to strike between driving growth and innovation whilst ensuring people retain appropriate choice and control about how their personal data captured by cookies is used. While we have not added this exemption to the face of the Data (Use and Access) Bill, we have taken power in new regulation 6A to extend or modify the list of exemptions.
We have already begun talking to industry and others about the possible use of this power and will continue to do so. This change would require careful consideration and consultation.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the European Union on the future of EU Adequacy on data protection.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 18 October 2024 to Question 8500.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress he has made on removing Huawei from 5G networks by the end of 2027.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As he will know, the Designated Vendor Direction issued in October 2022 set out twelve requirements on the removal of Huawei equipment and services that telecoms providers have a legal obligation to meet. We are working closely with providers who received a direction to monitor and ensure compliance. There are two remaining deadlines for the end of 2025 and 2027 which providers must meet.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on supporting digital inclusion in schools.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
I met with the Minister of State for School Standards last week to discuss digital inclusion in schools as a shared priority across our Departments.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to require businesses to carry out data protection impact assessments.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Article 35 of the UK GDPR already requires organisations to carry out a data protection impact assessment if the type of processing they are doing is likely to result in a high risk to the rights and freedoms of individuals.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of developing a digital inclusion strategy on the number of (a) anti-Semitic and (b) anti-Muslim incidents.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
It is a scandal that the previous government did not introduce a digital inclusion strategy for ten years.
Digital inclusion is a priority for my department and for government, and work is ongoing to develop our approach to tackling digital exclusion and coordinate across government departments. Digital inclusion means ensuring that everyone has the access, skills, support and confidence to participate in a modern digital society, whatever their circumstances.
Government will work closely with the third sector, devolved administrations, businesses and local authorities, many of whom have already implemented highly successful programmes, to ensure interventions are collaborative and targeted to individual needs.
In developing our plans, we will consider the impact of digital exclusion on all our communities, including Jewish and Muslim communities across the country.
We are working at pace to deliver a Digital inclusion national action plan for publication in early December, we are unable to announce this publicly but want to assure that digital inclusion is a priority for government.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many universities (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department have visited since their appointment.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Since taking office in July, we have visited six universities. I have visited Glasgow University, Queens University Belfast and Imperial College London. Members of the ministerial team have made visits to Northumbria University, Imperial College London and businesses partnered with universities such as Birmingham City University.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what areas of discussion have been submitted by parties attending the AI Action Summit in November 2024.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We are looking forward to working with France as they organise the AI Action Summit, taking place on 10 and 11 February 2025. France have outlined there are five tracks for the Summit: Trust in AI, Global Governance, Innovation, Public Interest and Future of Work. Each track has a working group which we are a part of, and we look forward to contributing to the summit across these themes. We will share more details about France’s plans for the summit, including on specific areas of discussion and agenda, as and when they become available.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding has been allocated to ensuring public services are accessible digitally.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Service Standard and the Technology Code of Practice require government teams to make sure that services are accessible to all users, including disabled people, people with other legally protected characteristics, people who do not have access to the internet or lack the skills and confidence to use the internet.
Accessibility auditing and research with disabled users are expected to be included within the funding to build and run every government service.
The new Digital Centre will drive greater inclusion and accessibility to government services.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to amend the Research Excellence Framework.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The next Research Excellence Framework (REF) is currently being developed by Research England and the three Devolved higher education funding bodies, in collaboration with the higher education sector.
Since the funding bodies initial proposals for REF 2029 were issued in June 2023 plans for the REF have been amended in response to feedback from universities and other stakeholders. This development process will continue until final guidance is set in 2026.