Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to CityFibre's press release entitled CityFibre and BDUK agree changes to Project Gigabit rollout following increase in commercial build, published on 26 May 2026, what the net change in Government spending on full fibre connectivity is expected to be for (a) East Hampshire constituency, (b) Hampshire and (c) England as a result of the re-scope of Project Gigabit.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The change to the Project Gigabit contract with CityFibre for Hampshire will result in a reduction of 26,150 premises from the scope of the contract, of which approximately 3,450 are within the East Hampshire constituency. There will be a reduction of approximately £56.1 million in government funding through this contract as a result. Across all of CityFibre’s contracts within England the reduction in government funding will be approximately £420.6 million which will be redeployed into other Project Gigabit projects.
Many of the premises that have been removed from the scope of the CityFibre contracts will now gain gigabit coverage through commercially funded delivery without the need for public subsidy.
For the remaining premises which have been removed from CityFibre’s contracts and are not within the scope of suppliers’ commercial plans, Building Digital UK (BDUK) is working to put in place alternative coverage solutions as soon as possible through Project Gigabit. A market engagement consultation for suppliers was published on 1 June to confirm supplier interest in relation to the premises that still need coverage in the affected areas.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, further to her oral contribution during the statement on Mobile Phones and Social Media on 20th January 2026 whether "before the summer" indicates prior to the House rising for the summer recess.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government has announced a short, swift consultation, accompanied by a national conversation, on further measures to enhance children's wellbeing and ensuring they have positive, enriched digital lives.
The government will act quickly on the findings and respond to the consultation in the summer.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, further to the three month consultation announced by the Government on further measures to keep children safe online, whether her Department plans to review submissions (a) as they come in or (b) at the close of that consultation.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government will review submissions to the consultation once the consultation has closed and respond to the consultation in the summer. We will act quickly on the findings of the consultation.
We want to be sure that everyone’s views are heard in the consultation on next steps to enhance children’s wellbeing online. This includes civil society organisations, parents and children from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, further to the three month consultation announced by the government on further measures to keep children safe online, how many full-time equivalent officials she has assigned to this consultation.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In order to ensure that the consultation considers all arguments and views, we are drawing on expertise from across the department and from a variety of different teams as necessary. This means that an accurate estimation in terms of FTE is not possible.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when her Department will publish its response to its recent consultation on Copyright and AI.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The consultation on Copyright and AI sought views on several topics relating to the interaction between copyright and artificial intelligence (AI) and received over 11,500 responses. The Government has carefully analysed the responses and will continue to engage extensively on this issue, including through technical working groups.
The Government has committed to publish a progress update by 18 December 2025 and a full report by 18 March 2026.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what research her Department has commissioned on the potential impact of media content on electronic devices on (a) babies and (b) toddlers.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Online Safety Act requires services that are likely to be accessed by children to risk assess their service and provide additional measures for child users of all age groups, including early years. Ofcom’s Children Register of Risks lists 0-5 years as an age group for which it expects services to consider the age-related risks based on the developmental stage of the children.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many full time equivalent staff there were at each grade (a) in the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation at the end of the 2022-23 financial year, (b) in the Responsible Technology Adoption Unit at the end of the 2023-24 financial year, (c) in the Government Digital Service in functions equivalent to those of the Responsible Technology Adoption Unit, at the most recent date for which data is available and (d) elsewhere in her Department in functions equivalent to those of the Responsible Technology Adoption Unit, at the most recent date for which data is available.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the differences are in the (a) remit and (b) functions of the Responsible Technology Adoption Unit and its predecessor body the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As set out to Parliament in the AI White Paper consultation response published by the previous government, the remit of the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI) did not change as a result of its rebrand into the Responsible Technology Adoption Unit (RTA).
However, the functions of CDEI did evolve over time in response to changes in the data and AI landscape between its establishment in 2018 and its role being split across different parts of DSIT in January 2025.
The RTA's key areas are now embedded across DSIT, including in the newly expanded Government Digital Service, the AI Opportunities Unit and the Digital Inclusion team.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, which functions of the Responsible Technology Adoption Unit have transferred to (a) the Government Digital Service, (b) other parts of his Department and (c) any other government department.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As announced in January 2025, the Responsible Technology Adoption Unit's key areas are now embedded across DSIT as follows:
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when CityFibre will install fibre to in-scope postcodes in East Hampshire constituency; and whether this has been delayed.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As part of Project Gigabit, CityFibre is delivering a contract to bring gigabit-capable broadband to thousands of premises across Hampshire. The contract is designed to be delivered in stages and premises in the East Hampshire constituency were initially scheduled to be reached in its latter stages, which is currently due to run until 2030.
Building Digital UK (BDUK) continues to work closely with CityFibre to review the scope of the contract in consideration of suppliers’ latest commercial rollout plans and may agree changes to CityFibre’s delivery should this be required. BDUK and CityFibre will keep local communities informed of the rollout plans during each stage of contract.