Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will publish further (a) details and (b) scope of the forthcoming Digital Strategy, as announced on 23 June 2020.

The Digital Strategy will set out how the Government wants to maximise the benefits of a tech-led recovery, whilst coherently addressing the challenges it poses.

In his closing remarks at the UK Tech Cluster Group on the 23rd of June, the Secretary of State set out an overview of the Government’s aims for the Digital Strategy, including what might spark a digital drive for growth.

Some of the key areas we will need to consider include creating the best data regime possible; ways to build a highly-skilled digital workforce; world-class, next generation infrastructure; ensuring that our regulatory regime for digital is pro-competitive and pro-innovation; and getting the UK’s best small and medium-sized shops and businesses making better use of tech and trading online. All these areas contribute to the same goal: driving growth and creating jobs.

My officials in DCMS are continuing to develop the details of the strategy ahead of its publication in the autumn. We will be consulting widely, so that everyone can fully benefit from this digitally-led recovery.