Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

The Government is committed to making the state more efficient and easier to interact with through harnessing technology. We want to learn from countries who have digitised government services for the benefit of their citizens.

We are looking at whether a new digital ID could help tackle illegal immigration, transform public services, and bring benefits to people’s everyday lives. No firm decision, estimate or assessment has yet been made.

The Government is committed to making the state more efficient and easier to interact with through harnessing technology. We want to learn from countries who have digitised government services for the benefit of their citizens.

We are looking at whether a new digital ID could help tackle illegal immigration, transform public services, and bring benefits to people’s everyday lives. No firm decision, estimate or assessment has yet been made.

The UK’s Data protection framework is technology-neutral, with its principles, namely, transparency, accountability and fairness, applying to all technology which uses personal data, including CCTV. There are also general rules on how personal data should be processed and safeguarded.

If domestic CCTV captures someone else's property or communal space, then the UK’s data protection legislation applies as the images and voices of other people will be captured and this is classified as personal information.

The Information Commissioner’s Office has issued guidance on domestic and commercial use of surveillance equipment, including CCTV.

The UK’s Data protection framework is technology-neutral. If domestic CCTV or other video recording devices capture someone else's property or communal space, then the UK’s data protection legislation applies as the images and voices of other people will be captured and this is classified as personal information.

The UK’s Data protection legislation is monitored and enforced independently of Government. The Information Commissioner’s Office has issued guidance on domestic use of surveillance equipment, including CCTV.

The internal policies associated with technology (such as the AI Playbook) used within government, are directly informed by industry leading technical experts, which include digital and data civil servants, specialist third parties and expert non-exec board level advisors with extensive experience.

The Labour Manifesto commits to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”, which is a long-term goal. The Government invests £10m annually in the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) to accelerate the development and adoption of 3Rs approaches. A significant amount of research funding in the UK also goes to underpinning technologies that have the potential to deliver the 3Rs, driving forward innovation.

The government will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods later this year.

Since publishing the Life Sciences Sector Plan in July, we have moved rapidly into delivery. The Plan sets out 33 concrete commitments, each with clear metrics, milestones and a named Senior Responsible Officer to drive accountability. Robust assurance mechanisms are being established to track the delivery of the Plan, including progress reporting into the Life Sciences Delivery Board every four months, and a stakeholder engagement plan to ensure sector views on delivery are captured. Delivery is already underway – with recruitment going live for the Chair and CEO of the Health Data Research Service with the Wellcome Trust, and the recent launch of both Europe's first Biofoundry for mRNA manufacturing and the £85m Obesity Pathway Innovation Programme with Eli Lilly – all part of building the UK into Europe’s leading life sciences economy by 2030.

Since publishing the Life Sciences Sector Plan in July, we have moved rapidly into delivery. The Plan sets out 33 concrete commitments, each with clear metrics, milestones and a named Senior Responsible Officer to drive accountability. Robust assurance mechanisms are being established to track the delivery of the Plan, including progress reporting into the Life Sciences Delivery Board every four months, and a stakeholder engagement plan to ensure sector views on delivery are captured. Delivery is already underway – with recruitment going live for the Chair and CEO of the Health Data Research Service with the Wellcome Trust, and the recent launch of both Europe's first Biofoundry for mRNA manufacturing and the £85m Obesity Pathway Innovation Programme with Eli Lilly – all part of building the UK into Europe’s leading life sciences economy by 2030.

The Government is committed to supporting alternatives to animals in science and will publish a strategy to support their development, validation and adoption later this year. We have reviewed the European Commission's (EC) Life Sciences Strategy and engaged with the European Medicines Agency on accelerating the science-led adoption of alternatives for a range of uses of animals in science, including chemicals, medicines and cosmetics. Government officials regularly attend international meetings to collaborate on best practice and consider approaches to reducing reliance on animal testing, including attending European Commission workshops on the EC roadmap to phasing out animal testing for chemicals.

Making the UK a safer place to be online is a priority for the government, including in rural areas. As such, the government is committed to implementing the Online Safety Act as quickly and effectively as possible to ensure that all UK users, particularly children, benefit from its wide-ranging protections.

The illegal content and child safety duties are already in force and we anticipate that adults and children will see a tangible and positive difference in their experiences online. Ofcom is already investigating services in relation to compliance, including with the recent requirements to introduce age checks for pornographic content.

The government is working to expand the evidence base on the impact of social media on children across the UK. In December 2024 DSIT commissioned a feasibility study into research to understand the impact of smartphones and social media on children. The report will be published in due course.

In addition, Ofcom has a large programme of work underway to help build further understanding of the impact of online services’ features and functionalities on children.

DSIT is supporting the implementation of the National Security Strategy by identifying, nurturing, and protecting the UK’s sovereign strengths in science, technology, and innovation, and by aligning objectives and metrics to achieve measurable results.

The government's response to the AI Opportunities Action Plan sets out a comprehensive programme of work to build national capacity and accelerate adoption. This includes our commitment to 20x public compute, establishing the sovereign AI unit backed by up to £500 million, and our investment into cutting edge research via the AI security institute. We have also committed to publishing an AI for Science strategy.

DSIT has also committed to work with the Ministry of Defence to pull through innovative capabilities to mission at speed and foster a thriving and world-leading UK defence technology sector through collaboration in multiple areas e.g. on the creation of UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) and closer working on National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF) investment programmes.

DSIT is supporting the implementation of the National Security Strategy by identifying, nurturing, and protecting the UK’s sovereign strengths in science, technology, and innovation, and by aligning objectives and metrics to achieve measurable results.

The government's response to the AI Opportunities Action Plan sets out a comprehensive programme of work to build national capacity and accelerate adoption. This includes our commitment to 20x public compute, establishing the sovereign AI unit backed by up to £500 million, and our investment into cutting edge research via the AI security institute. We have also committed to publishing an AI for Science strategy.

DSIT has also committed to work with the Ministry of Defence to pull through innovative capabilities to mission at speed and foster a thriving and world-leading UK defence technology sector through collaboration in multiple areas e.g. on the creation of UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) and closer working on National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF) investment programmes.

The Prime Minister has set out that national security is the first duty of our Government and international cooperation with like-minded countries is in the national interest. Science and technology are essential to delivering this: technologies are increasingly dual use, offering broad strategic advantage and improving our ability to tackle transnational challenges. The UK and New Zealand are long-standing partners on defence and security and have shared ambitions to deepen cooperation. This includes recent agreements to work together on Earth Observation from Space and protecting Antarctica as a place for peace and science.

The GOV.UK app is designed to sit alongside existing government applications, including those operated by HM Revenue and Customs. My officials continue to work closely with colleagues across government to ensure these services complement one another.

We have already integrated GOV.UK One Login functionality into the GOV.UK app to enable a signed-in experience for users.

Utility and the user experience are key priorities, and we are committed to ensuring a seamless and cohesive experience for all users when interacting with government products and services.

There are a number of funding schemes available to innovative companies and SMEs in the water sector. Since 2020, Ofwat’s £600m Innovation Fund has supported 109 projects and facilitated almost 300 collaborations between companies, universities, charities, and other organisations. The Government is also supporting innovation through Ofwat’s £100m Water Efficiency Fund, which seeks to stimulate a reduction in water demand across England and Wales. Furthermore, UKRI runs a range of competitions open to SMEs in the water sector. For example, Innovate UK’s Growth Catalyst supports innovative start-ups, particularly those in the clean energy and climate technology sectors. There are also opportunities for firms developing water innovations within Horizon Europe programmes.

Hybrid working is an informal, discretionary, non-contractual arrangement that enables employees to work partly in the workplace and partly at home. Employees are expected to spend a minimum of 40% of their working hours in the office. Office attendance requirements are managed locally to ensure the minimum requirement is met, and no central data is held on this.

Tackling digital exclusion, which disproportionately impacts certain demographics including older people, is a priority for Government. That is why we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan – First Steps in February 2025 which outlines the first five actions we are taking over the next year on digital inclusion.

In 2025, Ofcom reported that 13% of UK households with respondents aged 65+ had no internet access, 45% did not own a laptop, and 18% did not own a smartphone. In 2024, its Online Nation Report found that 15% of UK adults aged 65-74 were not confident in their ability to stay safe online. We estimate that only 4-16% of those aged 65 or over took part in training in digital or online skills.

I refer the hon. Member for Luton North to the answer of 9^th June 2025 to Question 54862.

The Online Safety Act requires providers to protect users’ right to privacy when implementing age assurance. UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act requires data to be processed fairly, lawfully, and transparently. Where Ofcom is concerned that a provider has not complied it may refer the matter to the ICO.

Under the Act, regulated services that are likely to be accessed by children must implement highly effective age assurance to prevent exposure to harmful content. There are cost-effective compliant methods available.

Highly effective age assurance must be robust, and services must take appropriate steps to mitigate against circumvention.

The Online Safety Act requires providers to protect users’ right to privacy when implementing age assurance. UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act requires data to be processed fairly, lawfully, and transparently. Where Ofcom is concerned that a provider has not complied it may refer the matter to the ICO.

Under the Act, regulated services that are likely to be accessed by children must implement highly effective age assurance to prevent exposure to harmful content. There are cost-effective compliant methods available.

Highly effective age assurance must be robust, and services must take appropriate steps to mitigate against circumvention.

The Online Safety Act requires providers to protect users’ right to privacy when implementing age assurance. UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act requires data to be processed fairly, lawfully, and transparently. Where Ofcom is concerned that a provider has not complied it may refer the matter to the ICO.

Under the Act, regulated services that are likely to be accessed by children must implement highly effective age assurance to prevent exposure to harmful content. There are cost-effective compliant methods available.

Highly effective age assurance must be robust, and services must take appropriate steps to mitigate against circumvention.

The Online Safety Act requires providers to protect users’ right to privacy when implementing age assurance. UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act requires data to be processed fairly, lawfully, and transparently. Where Ofcom is concerned that a provider has not complied it may refer the matter to the ICO.

Under the Act, regulated services that are likely to be accessed by children must implement highly effective age assurance to prevent exposure to harmful content. There are cost-effective compliant methods available.

Highly effective age assurance must be robust, and services must take appropriate steps to mitigate against circumvention.

The Online Safety Act requires providers to protect users’ right to privacy when implementing age assurance. UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act requires data to be processed fairly, lawfully, and transparently. Where Ofcom is concerned that a provider has not complied it may refer the matter to the ICO.

Under the Act, regulated services that are likely to be accessed by children must implement highly effective age assurance to prevent exposure to harmful content. There are cost-effective compliant methods available.

Highly effective age assurance must be robust, and services must take appropriate steps to mitigate against circumvention.

The Department’s flexible working policy sets out the types of formal and informal flexible working available to our employees.

All eligible employees have a statutory right to request flexible working arrangements, including, for example, part time working and compressed hours.

In addition, some informal flexible working arrangements within the parameters of the policy are managed locally. Central information on the proportion of Departmental employees with flexible working arrangements is therefore not held.

Currently, there are 289 employees formally working compressed hours.

A technical consultation on draft regulations to commence Sections 61 – 64 of the Act, dealing with certain Renewal agreements, was published on 7 May 2025 and closed on 2 July 2025. The department received submissions from a range of stakeholders in response to the consultation, including landowners, Wireless Infrastructure Providers and Mobile Network Operators.

Officials have kept these stakeholders updated on progress to implement outstanding provisions of the PSTI Act, including sections 61 – 64. This has been done through group sessions, which site providers, operators and infrastructure providers have all been invited to attend. Officials have also shared these updates and listened to feedback as part of their routine engagement with stakeholders. This engagement has included regular and ad hoc meetings with specific organisations and representative groups.

Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder).

Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,000 inc VAT are published on the Central Digital Platform Find a Tender service. This includes a note of the winning supplier. (https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Search).

Ms Middleton was appointed under Exemption 1 of the recruitment principles on the basis of immediate need and with the required specialist skills to meet government priorities. The priority role was required off the back of Machinery of Government changes, with a key requirement to develop the scope and design of the new digital centre of government, including its overall strategy and blueprint for delivering a modern digital government. This case for exceptional appointment was set out in the request for Civil Service Commission approval, which was released on 24 September 2024 (FOI 2024/00289) as Annex A and agreement for this to be pursued under exception 1 can be found in annex C.

The biography is in line with GDS guidance and contains an appropriate level of detail, similar to others in similar roles in government. Emily’s appointment is well documented and in the public domain.

Public Digital did not provide any advice to DSIT on the merits of the Machinery of Government (MoG) change.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology invests in cancer research via UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and the Department of Health and Social Care via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). UKRI is committed to ensuring research investment is accessible across the UK. NIHR is committed to ensuring the research they support is representative of the populations they serve, with national coverage across the whole of England. The Department of Health and Social Care has increased funding for research infrastructure schemes delivering cancer research outside the Greater South-East.

The Immigration White Paper and Modern Industrial Strategy emphasised the importance of enabling high-skilled international researchers to come to the UK with ease, and committed to improvements to key visa routes, including the Global Talent Visa.

The £54 million Global Talent Fund will attract around 60-80 leading researchers across Industrial Strategy sectors including Life Sciences to UK institutions. The Fund includes targeted visa and relocation cost support, and complements existing funding and talent schemes from UKRI, the National Academies and NIHR.

The new Global Talent Taskforce will promote UK strengths and opportunities to exceptional talent, including international Life Sciences talent.

The Immigration White Paper and Modern Industrial Strategy emphasised the importance of enabling high-skilled international researchers to come to the UK with ease, and committed to improvements to key visa routes, including the Global Talent Visa.

The £54 million Global Talent Fund will attract around 60-80 leading researchers across Industrial Strategy sectors including Life Sciences to UK institutions. The Fund includes targeted visa and relocation cost support, and complements existing funding and talent schemes from UKRI, the National Academies and NIHR.

The new Global Talent Taskforce will promote UK strengths and opportunities to exceptional talent, including international Life Sciences talent.

The Immigration White Paper and Modern Industrial Strategy emphasised the importance of enabling high-skilled international researchers to come to the UK with ease, and committed to improvements to key visa routes, including the Global Talent Visa.

The £54 million Global Talent Fund will attract around 60-80 leading researchers across Industrial Strategy sectors including Life Sciences to UK institutions. The Fund includes targeted visa and relocation cost support, and complements existing funding and talent schemes from UKRI, the National Academies and NIHR.

The new Global Talent Taskforce will promote UK strengths and opportunities to exceptional talent, including international Life Sciences talent.

The Immigration White Paper and Modern Industrial Strategy emphasised the importance of enabling high-skilled international researchers to come to the UK with ease, and committed to improvements to key visa routes, including the Global Talent Visa.

The £54 million Global Talent Fund will attract around 60-80 leading researchers across Industrial Strategy sectors including Life Sciences to UK institutions. The Fund includes targeted visa and relocation cost support, and complements existing funding and talent schemes from UKRI, the National Academies and NIHR.

The new Global Talent Taskforce will promote UK strengths and opportunities to exceptional talent, including international Life Sciences talent.

The Immigration White Paper and Modern Industrial Strategy emphasised the importance of enabling high-skilled international researchers to come to the UK with ease, and committed to improvements to key visa routes, including the Global Talent Visa.

The £54 million Global Talent Fund will attract around 60-80 leading researchers across Industrial Strategy sectors including Life Sciences to UK institutions. The Fund includes targeted visa and relocation cost support, and complements existing funding and talent schemes from UKRI, the National Academies and NIHR.

The new Global Talent Taskforce will promote UK strengths and opportunities to exceptional talent, including international Life Sciences talent.

The Immigration White Paper and Modern Industrial Strategy emphasised the importance of enabling high-skilled international researchers to come to the UK with ease, and committed to improvements to key visa routes, including the Global Talent Visa.

The £54 million Global Talent Fund will attract around 60-80 leading researchers across Industrial Strategy sectors including Life Sciences to UK institutions. The Fund includes targeted visa and relocation cost support, and complements existing funding and talent schemes from UKRI, the National Academies and NIHR.

The new Global Talent Taskforce will promote UK strengths and opportunities to exceptional talent, including international Life Sciences talent.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers support to all regulators through its Regulators’ Pioneer Fund, which is used for initiatives which improve the regulatory environment for innovation and investment. DSIT is contributing further to the development of the regulatory framework through its funding, alongside the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Innovate UK and the Medical Research Council, of the Centres of Excellence for Regulatory Science and Innovation. Finally, the Regulatory Innovation Office has been working with DHSC, MHRA and other regulators to address the regulatory barriers to the development and adoption of AI and digital in healthcare.

The Government is committed to working with local partners to unleash the economic potential of Cambridgeshire, helping to drive jobs and growth across the region, including Huntingdonshire. We have not specifically assessed the impact on Huntingdonshire, but through the Life Sciences Sector Plan and broader Industrial Strategy, we will continue to deliver for the region. This includes through investing in flagship infrastructure such as East West Rail, planning reform, and securing partnerships – such as the recent landmark BioNTech announcement, which will see a new R&D hub established in Cambridge as part of a £1 billion, 10-year UK investment programme, creating hundreds of highly skilled jobs in the region.

The River Severn Partnership commissioned the survey in support of its wider activities and projects as a Department for Science, Innovation and Technology funded 5G Innovation Region.

The regulator, Ofcom, is responsible for measuring and reporting on network coverage. Ofcom’s improved consumer facing coverage checker, ‘Map Your Mobile’, went live on 26 June showing coverage data that should be more in line with people’s lived experience. More granular data, including at a local authority level, will be published as part of the Connected Nations 2025 report, expected later this year.

I am committed to continuing to work with Ofcom to improve the accuracy of reporting of mobile coverage across the UK. This remains a priority as set out in the proposed Statement of Strategic Priorities for telecommunications, the management of radio spectrum, and postal services.

As part of Project Gigabit, CityFibre is delivering a contract to bring gigabit-capable broadband to thousands of rural and hard-to-reach premises across Hampshire. In the East Hampshire constituency, approximately 5,100 premises are currently included in this contract.

Information on premises in the Hon. Member’s constituency included in the contract's initial scope can be found in the attached spreadsheet. This data is based on the January 2025 Open Market Review (OMR) process.

Information on the number of people declaring a disability by each government department are published annually as part of Civil Service Statistics 2025, an accredited official statistics publication. Latest published data are as at 31 March 2025 and can be found at Table 29 of the statistical tables at the following web address:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/civil-service-statistics-2025

Information for 31 March 2026 is due for publication in July 2026.

The Government is committed to the development of alternatives to using animals in science and will publish a strategy to support their adoption. UK Research and Innovation supports new technologies and approaches that replace animal use in research, including organ-on-a-chip, functional genomics and computer modelling. The impact of individual technical advancements is a matter for individual regulators to consider. The Government’s strategy on this will facilitate the inclusion and adoption of alternative methods in these regulatory contexts.

Since the child safety duties came into force in July, the way children experience the internet has fundamentally changed. Services are now required to protect children from both illegal and legal but nonetheless harmful content and provide age-appropriate experiences for them.

Ofcom has robust enforcement powers for platforms failing to fulfil these duties and is already exercising these powers.

Over 6000 services have implemented highly effective age assurance to prevent children from seeing the most harmful types of content; improving protections for millions of children online.