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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential for remote and distributed employment models to increase access to tech and AI jobs in regions outside London and the South East.

Remote working and other forms of flexible working can increase access to employment opportunities across sectors and the country. The changes we are making through the Employment Rights Act will improve access to flexible working.

While the Department has not made a specific assessment of the impact of these changes on technology and AI jobs, we are helping people across the UK seize the opportunities of AI by investing in local talent, skills and career pathways. Through the TechLocal fund, we are connecting people to new tech jobs, graduate traineeships and AI learning opportunities in their communities.