Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to improve the rate of adoption of digital technology in everyday business practice; and if he will make a statement.

We want the UK to be the best place to start and grow a digital business. As announced in the government's Industrial Strategy, the new Business Basics Programme will trial innovative approaches to drive up the adoption of tried and tested technologies and business practices that can improve businesses’ productivity. The programme will test and encourage SMEs to adopt technologies and practices such as new accountancy software or performance management systems.

In addition, more than four million free digital skills training opportunities will be created as part of a Digital Strategy to make Britain the best place in the world to start and grow a digital business and ensure our digital economy works for everyone.

In addition, the Digital Skills Partnership (DSP) will see Government, business, charities and voluntary organisations coming together to make sure people have the right skills for the jobs in their area and are aware of all the digital training opportunities on offer.

The DSP will also build upon the 4 million pledges of free digital skills training opportunities that our corporate partners pledged as part of the Digital Strategy, published in March 2017. More than 2 million of these pledges have already been delivered; DCMS will continue to work with DSP members to develop new opportunities, direct training to areas where need has been identified, and to encourage the sharing and scaling up of best practice in digital skills provision.

The strategy includes new commitments, including a plan by Lloyds Banking Group to give face-to-face digital skills training to 2.5 million individuals, charities and small and medium businesses by 2020.