Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to introduce and promote digital literacy education for adults.

The Digital Strategy published in March 2017 confirmed the government’s new entitlement for adults who lack basic digital skills to undertake fully-funded training. This provision was included in the Digital Economy Act 2017, which will mirror the approach taken for adult literacy and numeracy training.

We are working with the further education sector, employers and other stakeholders to develop the details of this new entitlement. My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, will set out basic digital qualifications for adult learners eligible for fully-funded training in due course. In the interim, we will continue to support the provision of basic digital skills training for adults in colleges and community learning centres across England through the Adult Education Budget and other programmes.