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Written Question
GovTech Fund
Thursday 11th July 2019

Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 July 2019 to Question 271623 on the GovTech Fund, whether (a) business cases and (b) budgets were produced for each of the 11 challenges prior to their advertisement.

Answered by Oliver Dowden

The complete selection criteria required for all GovTech Catalyst challenges can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-submit-a-govtech-catalyst-challenge#criteria


Written Question
Cabinet Office: Public Appointments
Thursday 11th July 2019

Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2019 to Question 255390 on Cabinet Office: Public Appointments, what relationship the Chief Data Officer will have with the cross-government Data Advisory Board.

Answered by Oliver Dowden

A Chief Data Officer would lead on government's use of data, working closely with the Data Advisory Board which provides strategic oversight for the collection and use of data held by government departments


Written Question
Huawei: 5G
Monday 8th July 2019

Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2019 to Question 270401, whether the number of operators who use Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre advice is collated and monitored centrally.

Answered by David Lidington

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) engages with every operator who uses the Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre (HCSEC) to manage cyber security risks within
their networks. The number of operators that use HCSEC is recorded centrally but for commercial reasons we will not release the number or the names of operators. All of the
significant commercial networks in the UK who use Huawei have access to and work with the HCSEC. It is the responsibility of operators to ensure the security and resilience of
their networks. Other operators may use the guidance that is publicly available on the NCSC website, which we cannot track, or advice from other relevant bodies such as Ofcom, the regulator.


Written Question
Cabinet Office: Public Appointments
Monday 8th July 2019

Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2019 to Question 255390, whether strategic oversight for the collection and use of data held by Government departments provided by the cross-government Data Advisory Board, chaired by the Chief Executive of the Civil Service, is a permanent​ arrangement.

Answered by Oliver Dowden

Yes. The cross-government Data Advisory Board, chaired by the Chief Executive of the Civil Service, is a permanent board that provides strategic oversight for the collection and use of data held by Government departments.


Written Question
GovTech Fund
Thursday 4th July 2019

Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2019 to Question 269128 on GovTech Fund, how many of the 11 challenges have been fulfilled; and what the cost-benefit ratio was for each of those challenges.

Answered by Oliver Dowden

Five of the eleven challenges have now completed Phase 1, which involves testing different approaches to the challenge raised.

Most of the GovTech Catalyst challenges are at an early stage of development so measuring long term economic effects is not yet possible. Independent economic analysis will be undertaken as part of measurement and evaluation at a later stage.

All information on the GovTech Catalyst, including the selection criteria can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-govtech-catalyst-challenge-process#public-sector-challenge-process


Written Question
GovTech Fund
Thursday 4th July 2019

Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2019 to Question 269128 on the GovTech Fund, how many of the (a) 416 bidding suppliers and (b) 55 selected suppliers were SMEs.

Answered by Oliver Dowden

Of the total number of bidding suppliers for which we have data, 88% or 352 are SMEs. Whilst 91% or 50 of the funded suppliers are SMEs.


Written Question
Huawei: 5G
Tuesday 2nd July 2019

Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2019 to Question 260726 on Huawei: 5G, if he will publish the number of operators on the National Cyber Security Centre list that (a) do and (b) do not utilise Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre advice and guidance.

Answered by David Lidington

Owing to commercial sensitivities the names and number of operators who use HCSEC advice cannot be published. All of the significant commercial networks in the UK who use Huawei have access to and work with the HCSEC.


Written Question
Cabinet Office: Public Appointments
Tuesday 2nd July 2019

Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 27 June 2019 to Question 268615, for what reason that Answer does not state whether it is still the Government's ambition to appoint a Chief Data Officer.

Answered by Oliver Dowden

I refer the Honourable Member to my answer given to Question 255390 on 21 May 2019.


Written Question
Cabinet Office: Amazon
Tuesday 2nd July 2019

Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 27 June 2019 to Question 267786 on Cabinet Office: Amazon, how many SMEs were present at the roundtable discussion.

Answered by Oliver Dowden

I refer the Honourable Member to my response to Question 268379 on 2 July 2019. A number of the industry bodies in attendance represent SMEs.


Written Question
GovTech Fund
Monday 1st July 2019

Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many and what proportion of applications for GovTech catalyst funding were successful in each funding round.

Answered by Oliver Dowden

Out of the 11 challenges launched to date, 416 suppliers have bid and 55 have been selected to offer their technological solutions. There were 25 suppliers appointed in both Round 1 and 2 and 5 so far in Round 3.