Digital Technology

(asked on 16th July 2026) - View Source

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether he plans to publish a Digital Sovereignty Strategy to reduce reliance on foreign-owned technology providers in critical public services and infrastructure, and to strengthen the UK's digital resilience, supply chain security and domestic technological capability.


Answered by
Chris McDonald Portrait
Chris McDonald
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
This question was answered on 3rd September 2026

The Government's current approach is set out through the Modern Industrial Strategy (2025) and the Digital and Technologies Sector Plan (2025), which build sovereign capability in critical technologies, including through the Sovereign AI Fund, while keeping the UK open to global markets.

This approach supports digital resilience, strengthens supply chain security and promotes capability in strategically important technologies through existing policies and programmes.

It is supported by an established framework of safeguards, including data protection legislation, UK security standards, the Cloud First policy and the Data and AI Ethics Framework.

As this remains a complex and developing policy area, engagement across government is ongoing.

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