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.

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.