Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 22 May 2026, to question 477 titled ICT: Public Sector, whether Open Source software is used at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
DSIT makes extensive use of open source software. The Government Digital Service within DSIT uses open source software in the delivery and operation of citizen-facing digital services, in line with the government’s “Be open and use open source” guidance. Services are built using open-source technologies including programming languages such as Java, Python and Ruby, alongside widely adopted platforms and tools, for example, PostgreSQL and Grafana to support data management, monitoring and observability.
We also follow the government’s “Making source code open and reusable” guidance and develop code in the open to encourage transparency, reuse and community collaboration. A well-known example is the open-source GOV.UK Frontend project, which is publicly available on GitHub.
Separately, the Incubator for AI is working with world-class AI researchers through the Open-Source AI Fellowship to demonstrate the real-world potential of open-source AI, tackling public sector challenges spanning transport, education, and policing.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress the Government has made in implementing its strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods to animal testing.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)
The Government published the Replacing Animals in Science strategy in November 2025, which sets out a cross‑government programme to accelerate the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods. Delivery is underway across departments and partner organisations, with a number of commitments in progress. This includes establishing a preclinical translational models hub, with a funding call launched in March 2026 and activity expected to begin in Autumn 2026, and restarting the survey on public attitudes to animal research, with a competition launched to support delivery. The Government will publish a delivery update, alongside key performance indicators, later in 2026.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department plans to introduce regulations on the use of camera-enabled smart glasses, such as Meta Smart Glasses, for filming in public spaces.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)
The Government has no current plans to introduce specific legislation on the use of smart glasses for filming in public spaces because there are already criminal offences in place to deal with harmful conduct. Individuals who record other people in public places without their consent to cause alarm or distress or for the purposes of sexual gratification may be guilty of offences such as harassment, stalking or voyeurism. Sharing intimate images on the internet without the consent of the individual is also a criminal offence.
Once images captured on smart glasses are uploaded to the internet, online services are obliged to consider requests from individuals under the UK GDPR to remove them. Platforms also have duties to remove illegal material under the Online Safety Act. We do not wish to prevent law-abiding citizens from using the glasses for private or domestic purposes where this does not pose harm to other people. We will continue to monitor this issue.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 22 May 2026 to question 477 on Public Sector: ICT, if her Department will consider the use of open source software for the public sector to move away from reliance on large tech companies.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government supports a diverse and competitive technology landscape, including open-source software where it offers value, flexibility and resilience. This is outlined in the Technology Code of Practice, which encourages departments to consider the use of open-source solutions alongside proprietary options.
Departments are responsible for their own procurement decisions, in line with established rules and guidance and must secure value for money through fair and open competition. The Government promotes a diverse supplier base and aims to reduce overreliance on individual suppliers where this limits innovation, resilience and value for money.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department plans to take steps to reduce the level of public sector reliance on large technology companies.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)
The Government is committed to ensuring public sector technology procurement delivers value for money, resilience, and access to a competitive supplier market. Departments are responsible for their own contracting and are required to award contracts through fair and open competition.
The Department of Science, Innovation and Technology recognises the importance of maintaining a diverse and competitive supplier base, including reducing over-reliance on a small number of technology solutions where this limits innovation, resilience or value for money.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for its policies of the French Government’s decision to transition public sector desktops to the Linux operating system; and whether she has considered the potential merits of a similar approach in the UK public sector.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is aware of strategic decisions made in France regarding their choice of operating systems. The UK will always be diligent in assessing the benefits to ensure it selects the most appropriate operating system for its context, balancing costs, functionality, upkeep and wider requirements.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to publish a strategy further to the Digital Inclusion Action Plan: First Steps, published on 26 February 2025.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)
Everyone should be able to benefit from the digital world – helping families save money, get a better job, and access services like the NHS more easily.
But we know some people face real barriers. That’s why we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan and launched the £11.9 million Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund, helping more people across the UK get the access, skills and confidence to get online.
Through the Fund we will better understand what works and what could be scaled to support more people. We are taking learnings from this Fund and research projects to develop future interventions, including any potential funding after this financial year.
This is just one of our First Steps, and the Government is clear that everyone should be able to benefit from the digital world – with more needed to ensure this.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what funding she has allocated to deliver the Digital Inclusion Action Plan through the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund after this financial year.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)
Everyone should be able to benefit from the digital world – helping families save money, get a better job, and access services like the NHS more easily.
But we know some people face real barriers. That’s why we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan and launched the £11.9 million Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund, helping more people across the UK get the access, skills and confidence to get online.
Through the Fund we will better understand what works and what could be scaled to support more people. We are taking learnings from this Fund and research projects to develop future interventions, including any potential funding after this financial year.
This is just one of our First Steps, and the Government is clear that everyone should be able to benefit from the digital world – with more needed to ensure this.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2025 to Question 87855, whether her Department has had discussions with Ofcom on price transparency in contracts provided by O2.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)
Further to my answer of 13 November 2025, and following my letter to Ofcom’s CEO of 31st October, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is continuing to engage with Ofcom on pricing transparency.
Ofcom publicly shared disappointment with O2’s decision, which went against the spirit of the January 2025 changes. Ofcom also reminded telecom companies of their regulatory responsibilities to maintain fair pricing and transparency. The Secretary of State has asked Ofcom what more can be done to go further, faster to ensure that people are getting a fair deal.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions her Department has had with Ofcom on mid-contract price increases by O2, in the context of levels of rises set out in customers’ contracts.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)
The Secretary of State met and wrote to Ofcom’s CEO on 31st October to ask for its assessment of telecoms consumer protections and what could be done further, faster on transparent and fair pricing. The Secretary of State made clear that it is imperative that people feel empowered when interacting with the telecoms market, and that they can be confident they are getting a fair deal. The letter set out a number of potential measures for Ofcom to consider.
My department will continue working closely with Ofcom to ensure telecom contracts remain fair and transparent.