Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of mandatory digital ID on minority groups.

The Government has announced plans for a new digital ID to be available to UK citizens and legal residents aged 16 and over. Employers will be required to conduct digital right to work checks using the new digital ID by the end of this parliament, but it will not be mandatory for other purposes.

The Government will deliver a comprehensive inclusion programme to help ensure everyone eligible is able to access the new digital ID, including minority groups. We expect that groups that currently struggle to prove their identity, whether it’s due to the cost of passports or other reasons, will benefit from the opportunity to access free digital ID.

The Government will launch a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year, setting out the proposed approach in more detail and seeking views on this. This will include the proposed approach to inclusion.

The Government will work closely with expert stakeholders from a range of organisations to make the programme as effective and inclusive as possible.

Following the Machinery of Government changes of 23/10/2025 policy responsibility now sits with the Cabinet Office.