Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to reduce the digital skills gap.

The Government is committed to ensuring access to digital skills for all. By 2024-25, we’re investing £3.8 billion in Digital Skills across England and have quadrupled the scale of Skills Bootcamps.

The Government provides free Essential Digital Skills Qualifications to address the diverse needs of adults with limited digital proficiency.

Additionally, the Digital Skills Council drives industry-led action. In February, DSIT partnered with the Council in delivering a communications campaign for Skills Bootcamps in high-demand digital fields. But plugging this gap also means getting the basics right – which is why this government has embarked on one of the largest infrastructure projects in modern times to connect millions of households to gigabit broadband – laying enough fibre optic cable to circle the Earth five times.