Question

To ask The Senior Deputy Speaker why the Parliament Now app will no longer be supported from late March.

The ParliamentNow app is based on out-of-date technology that is no longer supported on the Apple and Google app stores, making it a potential security risk.

There are very few users of the app - the ParliamentNow app has on average 160 monthly users, compared to 51,000 monthly views of the equivalent webpages. Maintaining a standalone app is a disproportionate use of Parliament’s resources, when all the information is readily available on the website https://now.parliament.uk/.

While the ParliamentNow app is being decommissioned, and will no longer be supported from late March, the Parliament Now website will continue to be available at https://now.parliament.uk/.The website delivers a more accessible and future-proof service, better supporting reliable use with both current and emerging assistive technologies.

App-like shortcuts for the website can be set up on tablets and mobile devices to take users directly to the relevant content and provide all the same information, without the requirement for a bespoke mobile app. Instructions on how to set up an Annunciator icon on your phone can be found on ParliNet and support for members is available from the Parliamentary Digital Service Drop-In and Support Desk.