Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps their Department is taking to implement the guidance entitled The government’s approach to rural proofing 2025, published on 15 May 2025.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government has made a commitment that all policy decision-making should be rural proofed. Rural proofing ensures that rural areas are not overlooked and that the intended outcomes are deliverable in rural areas.
Defra leads on rural proofing, but individual departments are responsible for ensuring that their policy decision-making is rural proofed.
The Digital Inclusion Action Plan – First Steps, published in February 2025, sets out our first actions to tackle digital exclusion. While it outlines key demographic groups, it recognises that rural communities are also impacted.
To ensure rural areas are not left behind and have access to digital infrastructure, we are continuing to deliver gigabit-capable broadband and 4G mobile coverage through Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many people with disabilities were employed in his Department on 2 September 2025.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
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.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress he has made on improving broadband connectivity in rural areas.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Project Gigabit is the government’s programme to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to UK premises not included in suppliers' commercial plans.
As of the end of March 2024, over one million premises had been upgraded to gigabit-capable broadband through government-funded programmes.
More than £2.3 billion of contracts have already been signed to connect over one million more premises with gigabit-capable broadband, predominantly in rural areas.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions he has had with Ofcom on physical infrastructure access pricing for full fibre broadband.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ofcom’s Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) framework supports market entry and expansion by alternative network operators via access to Openreach’s ducts, poles, and other utility infrastructure.
Ofcom has powers to impose access conditions on electronic communications networks, enabling third party infrastructure access on fair and reasonable terms, conditions and charges, and without undue discrimination.
My officials meet with Ofcom on a regular basis to discuss a range of regulatory issues including PIA. The Government supports this framework but will not intervene in independent Ofcom decisions regarding fee pricing structure or the adequacy of the current level of fees.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the current level of Physical Infrastructure Access fees.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ofcom’s Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) framework supports market entry and expansion by alternative network operators via access to Openreach’s ducts, poles, and other utility infrastructure.
Ofcom has powers to impose access conditions on electronic communications networks, enabling third party infrastructure access on fair and reasonable terms, conditions and charges, and without undue discrimination.
My officials meet with Ofcom on a regular basis to discuss a range of regulatory issues including PIA. The Government supports this framework but will not intervene in independent Ofcom decisions regarding fee pricing structure or the adequacy of the current level of fees.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the distribution of funding for research and development across (a) England, (b) Norfolk and (c) South West Norfolk constituency.
Answered by Feryal Clark
DSIT's R&D budget is rising to £13.9 billion for the 2025/26 financial year, a real terms increase of 8.5% compared to 2024/25. This will include investments in our R&D system in every region of the UK.
In 2023/24, UKRI invested £8,357 million in England, £141 million in Norfolk and £0.5 million in South West Norfolk.
UKRI’s investments in Norfolk include £317 million for Norwich Research Park to establish a pioneering plant and microbial research hub by 2030.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of levels of media literacy skills on (a) the employability and (b) workplace readiness of young people.
Answered by Feryal Clark
According to the Essential Digital Skills Framework, media literacy-related skills, including understanding online risks, are essential for work. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has worked with FutureDotNow to analyse the benefits of essential digital skills for earnings and employability, with findings being published shortly.
The Digital Inclusion Action Plan outlines steps towards delivering digital inclusion and media literacy for everyone in the UK. The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review is also considering how young people will acquire the digital skills needed for future life, with the interim report highlighting the need for a renewed focus on media literacy.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to improve access to media literacy education.
Answered by Feryal Clark
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology coordinates media literacy activity across government, including in its approach to digital inclusion which integrates policy on digital skills and media literacy. The Digital Inclusion Action Plan outlines steps to support community initiatives for boosting digital skills and media literacy.
In formal education, the government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review which aims to ensure a rich, inclusive and innovative curriculum that readies young people for life and work. The Review’s interim report, published in March, highlights the need for a focus on media literacy in response to evolving technological challenges.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help protect the use of children’s personal data on social media.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We are taking steps in the Data (Use and Access Bill) to require the ICO to have regard to the fact that children merit specific protection because they may be less aware of the risks in relation to the processing of their personal data. The ICO will need to take account of the new duty when carrying out its regulatory functions – for example, when providing guidance for organisations and enforcing the legislation.
We have also placed a similar duty on Information Society Service providers likely to be accessed by children. These providers will now have clear legal duties to consider how best to protect and support children when designing their data processing activities. Providers will be assisted to comply with the new duty by the ICO’s Age Appropriate Design Code, which provides practical guidance for relevant providers on complying with their obligations under the data protection legislation in relation to children who are likely to access those services.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when he plans to publish the Copyright and Artificial Intelligence Governance consultation.
Answered by Feryal Clark
The Government published its consultation on Copyright and Artificial Intelligence (AI) on 17 December 2024. This closed on 25 February 2025.
The Government’s priority now is to review all responses to the consultation, to help inform its approach to copyright and AI. The Government will continue to engage extensively as it considers next steps, and its proposals will be set out in due course.