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 ensure (a) the adoption of data standards and (b) funding for data infrastructure across Government departments.

The Data Standards Authority within the Government Digital Service is responsible for setting data standards for adoption across government. Data standards that are approved by the Data Standards Authority are included in the Technology Code of Practice and Service Standard which must be followed by an organisation’s digital and technology assurance board.

Throughout the recent spending review, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) supported HM Treasury decision-making by providing expert advice on digital data and technology submissions. At the spending review, it was outlined how funding had been prioritised for digital programmes in the following areas: digital public infrastructure, for the public and for government, and modernised public services by harnessing the power of AI. The government has provided funding to build strong digital and technology foundations, such as improvements to digital public infrastructure, which data infrastructure is a core component of. This includes the creation of a new National Data Library to join up data across the public sector. DSIT and HMT will be monitoring the delivery of key funded programmes through the oversight of the Digital Inter-Ministerial Group, as well as through wider GDS performance, assurance and spend controls mechanisms.