Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

Predictive modelling is widely used across government departments, including DSIT, and is implemented by analysts from the various analytical professions. These professions are brought together by the ONS-based Analysis Function, which co-ordinates analytical standards, including learning and training resources, and quality assurance. The Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO), which is now part of DSIT, is driving cross-government AI-adoption plans which will increase departments’ access to high quality predictive modelling. CDDO develops standards and guidance for AI adoption, including the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standards which support the National Data Strategy commitment to explore an appropriate and effective way to deliver greater transparency on algorithm-assisted decision making in the public sector.

To deliver the Shared Rural Network, the UK’s four mobile network operators are investing £532m to eliminate the majority of ‘partial not-spots’ – areas which receive coverage from at least one, but not all, operators. The programme has already delivered substantial improvements for rural communities across the UK, with Ofcom reporting that 4G coverage from at least one operator now stands at over 93%, up from 91% when the programme started.

The government’s grant funding to upgrade Extended Area Service masts and tackle ‘total not spots’ is capped to prevent overspend. Building Digital UK is working with its delivery partners, including the Home Office, to ensure that maximal benefit can be achieved within the allotted programme funding and that the programme represents good value for money.

To deliver the Shared Rural Network, the UK’s four mobile network operators are investing £532m to eliminate the majority of ‘partial not-spots’ – areas which receive coverage from at least one, but not all, operators. The programme has already delivered substantial improvements for rural communities across the UK, with Ofcom reporting that 4G coverage from at least one operator now stands at over 93%, up from 91% when the programme started.

The government’s grant funding to upgrade Extended Area Service masts and tackle ‘total not spots’ is capped to prevent overspend. Building Digital UK is working with its delivery partners, including the Home Office, to ensure that maximal benefit can be achieved within the allotted programme funding and that the programme represents good value for money.

Given the global nature of semiconductor supply chains, international collaboration is crucial for both the UK’s resilience and economic growth. The government is working closely with international partners on supply chain resilience and developing its semiconductor skills base, including by implementing partnerships covering these issues with Japan, the Republic of Korea and India. It will support UK semiconductor organisations to participate in the EU Chips Joint Undertaking and drive international collaboration on semiconductors within the OECD’s ‘Informal Network on Semiconductors’ and the G7 ‘Point of Contact’ group, to further collective understanding of supply chains and coordinate resilience efforts.

The government’s number one mission is economic growth. At the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology we are accelerating innovation to unlock more growth across the UK, as well as supporting the government’s other missions such as the clean energy transition. The UK’s science and technology sectors, including semiconductors, are already driving that economic growth and unlocking the innovations that will help us reach net zero.

We are committed to securing areas of world leading advantage in the semiconductor technologies of the future by focusing on our strengths in research and development (R&D), design and IP, and compound semiconductors. This will facilitate technological innovation, boost growth and job creation, bolster our international position to improve supply chain resilience, and protect our national security.

We will work closely with industry and academia to ensure our work is delivering real-world benefits for UK citizens.

The Government maximises the benefits of its ESA membership through active participation in ESA boards and committees; and a range of initiatives to boost competitiveness and opportunities for UK industry, including the UKSA-ESA Industrial Policy Task Force.

This has secured over €60M of additional contracts for the sector since 2022; plus the ESA Business Incubation Centre's €3.4M investment which supports small and medium enterprises; and free bid-writing workshops.

The role of Director General Digital Centre Design went through approvals appropriate to a fixed term appointment, including Civil Service Commission under exception 1. Permanent roles will be advertised under fair and open competition in line with usual processes.

The role of Director General Digital Centre Design went through approvals appropriate to a fixed term appointment, including Civil Service Commission under exception 1. Permanent roles will be advertised under fair and open competition in line with usual processes.

The role of Director General Digital Centre Design went through approvals appropriate to a fixed term appointment, including Civil Service Commission under exception 1. Permanent roles will be advertised under fair and open competition in line with usual processes.

The role of Director General Digital Centre Design went through approvals appropriate to a fixed term appointment, including Civil Service Commission under exception 1. Permanent roles will be advertised under fair and open competition in line with usual processes.

The role of Director General Digital Centre Design went through approvals appropriate to a fixed term appointment, including Civil Service Commission under exception 1. Permanent roles will be advertised under fair and open competition in line with usual processes.

The General Election was called during the open competition period for an incipient National Academy focused on mathematical sciences. My Department recognises the value that the mathematical sciences community brings to innovation, science and growth and will confirm the outcome of the competition in due course.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country. Over the next few months, we will be ensuring that AI is used to drive the government’s missions and priorities, including the Industrial Strategy, the AI Opportunities Action Plan, and wider commitments.

As the centre for digital government, DSIT works closely with other departments to ensure Artificial Intelligence (AI) is driving economic growth, transforming how we deliver public services, and boosting living standards.

Last week, we launched AI Opportunities Action Plan, which will set out how the UK can reap the benefits of AI. We know this will require a whole-of-government approach, so we are working across departments to ensure the Government’s missions and priorities benefit from this transformative technology.

We have also committed to introducing regulation, are collaborating with departments on the details of these proposals, before legislation is brought forward.

This is an independent review which is ongoing, and as such responses have not been directed to the Department.

As per the Terms of Reference, final reporting will be submitted by the end of August 2024. Upon receipt, the government will consider the report.

According to Ofcom’s Connected Nations report, in 2019, 86% of premises in the High Peak constituency could access a superfast (>=30mbps) broadband connection. By 2024, that figure had risen to 95%.

As we live in a world that is dependent on interconnected systems, it is essential to be prepared for global IT outages. The Government will work with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to review the lessons learned from the recent outage. The Central Digital and Data Office will work to implement any improvements to the existing response plans to cover technical and cyber resilience failures. The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, announced in the King's Speech, will also strengthen our defences and ensure that more digital services than ever before are protected.

We understand concerns about the excessive deployment of telegraph poles, and are urgently considering options to address this.

Telegraph poles can play an important role in delivering affordable connectivity to communities, and competition can offer consumers greater choice and cheaper rates. However, it is vital that operators share infrastructure wherever possible, as the last thing anyone wants is for our towns and villages to be littered with countless unnecessary competing telegraph poles.

Existing regulations require operators to share infrastructure where practicable, and the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 made it easier to upgrade and share existing apparatus.

In addition, the Communications (Access to Infrastructure) Regulations 2016 are designed to facilitate sharing for physical infrastructure.

The Life Sciences Council is a crucial forum for convening the sector and advancing UK Life Sciences. We will bolster the Council and have it report directly to the Industrial Strategy Council. It will meet again in due course.

Through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), we fund and support interdisciplinary research linking agriculture, nutrition and health to food security, environmental sustainability, and biodiversity.

In 2023-24, BBSRC funded around £140 million on research to improve crop and livestock health and enhance food safety and nutrition, whilst reducing food loss and waste. BBSRC’s wider investments to increase agricultural productivity include the Roslin Institute’s research programmes which have contributed to an estimated ~£18.9bn GVA in 2019-20 through global productivity improvements in agriculture and aquaculture.

As the Chancellor set out in her statement on July 29, the government’s spending audit has identified a forecast Resource DEL overspend of £21.9 billion against the plans set out for departments at Spring Budget 2024. This already factors in the Treasury’s assessment of a £7.1bn fallaway over the course of the year, as set out in Table 1 of Fixing the foundations: public spending audit 2024-25.

The government has announced £5.5 billion of savings in 2024-25, bringing the in-year pressures down to £16.4 billion.

The Government is committed to improving mobile coverage across the UK. Ofcom’s most recent coverage data for the former constituency of South West Bedfordshire shows 98% 4G geographic coverage from all four mobile network operators and that 5G is available from at least one mobile network operator outside 93% of premises.

I am aware that Ofcom’s coverage data does not always reflect consumers’ experience of mobile networks at a local level. I understand that Ofcom has an ongoing programme of work to improve the accuracy of its reporting on mobile coverage and I am taking a close interest in the outcome of this work.

Alongside this, the Government intends to reform the planning system in a way that - amongst other things - will make it easier to build digital infrastructure.

The Government will establish binding regulations on the handful of companies developing the most powerful AI systems. This highly targeted legislation will ensure the UK is prepared for this fast-moving technology. The legislation will support growth and innovation by ending current regulatory uncertainty for AI developers, strengthening public trust and boosting business confidence.

The next UK launch will be delivered by Rocket Factory Augsburg from SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland later this year. This will be the first vertical launch from the UK and will be a significant step for the UK space sector. Several UK spaceports are now in, or close to being, in operation.

The government’s primary focus is on continuing efforts, both domestically and in collaboration with the EU, to boost UK participation in Horizon Europe (FP9). That must be the immediate priority.

However, the government will of course closely observe the development of any future programmes with interest. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides a long-term basis for cooperation in areas of shared interest, such as science, research, and innovation.

The government will set ten-year budgets for certain R&D activities, giving certainty to form long-term partnerships with industry and stay at the forefront of global innovation.

Further details will be announced in due course.

The Shared Rural Network will bring 4G mobile coverage to 95% of the UK landmass. Ofcom assesses the mobile network operators progress against their individual coverage targets. Ofcom reports that 4G coverage from at least one operator currently stands at over 93%, up from 91% when the programme started.

The Shared Rural Network will bring 4G mobile coverage to 95% of the UK landmass. Ofcom assesses the mobile network operators progress against their individual coverage targets. Ofcom reports that 4G coverage from at least one operator currently stands at over 93%, up from 91% when the programme started.

The Government is determined to develop the skilled workforce that the UK needs across the whole economy, including in Space. That is why it is creating Skills England and will bring forward a comprehensive strategy for post-16 education to break down barriers to opportunity, support the development of a skilled workforce, and drive economic growth through our industrial strategy. Decisions about sector specific workforce action plans will be taken in due course.

The government will provide an update on the independent review of pornography regulation, legislation, and enforcement in due course.

The Online Safety Act 2023 has duties for providers to tackle illegal content online and prevent children from accessing pornography online. The government is committed to tackling violence against women and girls, and violent and misogynistic content online.

Deepfakes and other forms of manipulated media are captured by the Online Safety Act where they constitute user generated content that is illegal content, or content which is harmful to children. Category 1 services will also need to remove content, including deepfake content, which they prohibit in their terms of service.

The Government is also taking steps to empower users with the skills they need to engage critically with online content and make informed decisions. Media literacy is a key tool to build citizens’ resilience to misinformation, disinformation and AI-generated deepfakes.

The Government will create a National Data Library to make it easier to access public sector data, help deliver data-driven public services, support our research sector, and create opportunities for economic growth. The National Data Library will include strong safeguards and maximise public benefit.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is leading planning of the National Data Library, including the projected budget and delivery milestones.

The Government has committed to partnering with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing. Discussions on this subject are already underway, but no specific timetable has been published. The Government, via UK Research & Innovation, continues to fund the development of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research through the National Centre for 3Rs (NC3Rs).

The Government has committed to partnering with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the requirements for phasing out of animal testing. Any policy changes as a result of this work will be assessed appropriately.

The Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (i.AI) is building an AI tool called Consult, which uses topic modelling to extract common themes from consultation responses. To ensure transparency for users, Consult presents these themes alongside the raw data. The tool is currently being tested with past consultations, whether it goes on to be used will depend on the outcomes of extensive testing and evaluation.

The Digital Centre and individual departments are exploring the potential benefits of AI to enhance productivity. CDDO has and will continue to assess the potential impacts of AI on public service productivity, and is collaborating with departments to explore AI opportunities aimed at enhancing Civil Service productivity, including trials to assess the real-world impact.

Decisions on the future size of the Civil Service will form a key part of the next comprehensive Spending Review. Therefore, a proper and full consideration, including AI, will be given to this in due course, and the Cabinet Office will work closely with HM Treasury on the development of these plans.

In our manifesto, the government announced its intent to establish a Regulatory Innovation Office. I am working with officials to define initial areas of focus, whilst developing long term plans to ensure the RIO can support economic growth through regulatory innovation. Further detail will be announced in due course.

Universities have a vital role to play in supporting the Government’s growth mission; in 2021/22 university spin-outs raised £5.29 billion in investment. As stated in our manifesto, the Government will work with universities to support spin-outs which play a vital role in creating the innovations that will support our national Missions. We welcome the work that Irene Tracey and Andrew Williamson produced for the independent review and will consider their recommendations carefully.

Over £1.6 billion of contracts have already been announced as part of Project Gigabit, to extend the rollout of gigabit-capable broadband beyond commercially viable areas across the UK. A further £1 billion of funding is proposed in live and upcoming procurements.

Superfast broadband is already available in 98% of homes and business premises.

Non-standalone 5G is available outside 92% of UK premises and two of the four Mobile Network Operators have begun to deploy standalone 5G. The previous government set an ambition for nationwide standalone 5G coverage in populated areas by 2030, but attached no government subsidy to this.

Following the announcement of Simon Blagden’s resignation on 19 July 2024, the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology is working at pace to appoint an interim Chair of Building Digital UK. We will confirm in due course the timelines for the permanent Governance of BDUK.

The life sciences sector will play a crucial role in both kickstarting economic growth and building an NHS fit for the future. We plan to strengthen the Office for Life Sciences, so that it is politically empowered to truly drive delivery across government. We will bolster the Office for Life Science’s operation across departments to cement this sector’s world-leading status.

The Government is committed to building on the UK’s world-class strengths in the semiconductor sector to accelerate growth and unlock real-world benefits for UK citizens. Our focus is on enhancing the UK’s enabling environment to make this a top place to sustainably grow a business in the semiconductor sector, including support for innovation, skills and commercialisation. Deepening collaboration with international partners, including the EU and G7, is a key part of this approach and will ensure that the UK continues to be a credible player on the international stage.

The Department has not had any representations from Tony Blair or his representatives on digital identity.

The Government’s policy is to enable digital identity services – which already exist – to be more trusted and secure.

The Digital Information and Smart Data Bill, announced in the King’s Speech, will include measures to support the creation and adoption of secure and trusted digital identity products and services from certified providers to those who want to use them.

From my own experience, I am aware that Ofcom’s coverage maps do not always match consumers’ experience of mobile networks. My Department is working with Ofcom to identify what more can be done to improve the accuracy of its reporting, noting that all sorts of factors will impact people's experience, including how many other people are on the network at any given point, as well as weather conditions.

We have also asked Ofcom to keep under review its definitions of what constitutes “good” 4G and 5G coverage, so that they continue to reflect consumer expectations as people’s usage and their requirements evolve.