Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with business representatives on ensuring that elderly people are not prevented from using businesses that choose to move to digital-only services.

The government does not generally intervene in how businesses choose to conduct their activities or offer their products and services. However, the Government expects all businesses to treat all consumers fairly.

Having said that, everyone has a role to play in realising a shared vision for a digitally inclusive UK to ensure everyone, including the elderly, can participate in our modern digital society. That is why we launched the Digital Inclusion Action Plan in February, which sets out the first actions we are taking over the next year to boost digital inclusion.