Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press release entitled Shake up of tech and AI usage across NHS and other public services to deliver plan for change, published on 21 January 2025, on what evidential basis the press release said that removing the need to queue to register a death would boost growth.

There was an initial error in publishing on GOV.UK which omitted the reference below to getting driving licences for lorries. This has now been amended.

The press notice that was distributed to journalists read as follows:

“It will do away with insensitive and antiquated processes that have been holding this country back for too long. That means scrapping the need for people to queue at the local council to register the death of a loved one, and doing away with the need to post an advert in your local paper if you want to get a license to drive a lorry – getting in the way of growth.”