Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to his Department's Blueprint for Modern Digital Government, published on 21 January 2025, what steps his Department is taking with the Government Digital Service to provide (a) funding, (b) specialist advice and (c) digital tools to support local authorities with implementation.

The Blueprint for Modern Digital Government set out the government’s vision for digital services across the whole of the public sector. Earlier this year, the Government Digital Service ran a sprint looking at how GDS should work with and support local authorities to achieve this vision.

The sprint found the challenges that local authorities face in data sharing and the IT market and considered how GDS products, services and capabilities could support local government.

Following the sprint, GDS is establishing a programme of collaboration with local government to support local transformation.