Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of the potential (a) environmental and (b) economic impact of the use by Government departments of data storage contracts signed since 2015.

The Central Digital and Data Office, in the Cabinet Office, does not hold a specific estimate of the environmental and economic impact of data storage contracts.

Improving sustainability is a commitment within the Transforming for a digital future: 2022 to 2025 roadmap for digital and data, and a requirement within the Technology Code of Practice, which is a set of criteria to help government design, build and buy technology.

Data storage requirements across departments will not solely be met through specific contracts for these services; they will be met through capital purchase of hardware and through agreements for broader services, such as the provision of cloud platforms, or of software-as-a-service solutions.