Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any recruitment, procurement, or system development activity has been initiated or progressed in relation to Digital Identity and the One Login for Government programme.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The GOV.UK One Login system is fully operational. Users can set up an account, sign in and then prove their identity to access an initial set of 122 government services.
Digital Identity policy is in development, with a dedicated team inside the Cabinet Office working to develop the proposals. Any notices relating to public procurement will be accessible via https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what consideration has been made of allocating a Digital Identity Number to children at birth.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
All UK citizens and legal residents aged 16 and over will be able to get the national digital identity credential, and we will be consulting the public on the minimum age.
We want people to have the option to use the national digital ID to make their lives easier - like smoother access to public services and safer proof of who you are across the economy.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, for what reason (a) the number of staff and (b) staff costs have increased at Companies House since April 2017.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Companies House’s staff numbers have increased in recent years as a result of its extensive transformation to strengthen the integrity and transparency of the UK corporate register. The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 has significantly expanded Companies House’s remit, introducing new powers such as identity verification and enhanced investigation and enforcement to tackle misuse of the register and combat economic crime. Alongside enhancements to its digital and data systems, these changes have required additional specialist capability to implement and maintain. These factors, together with the implementation of civil service pay awards, have affected staff costs over this period.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, by how much they plan to reduce their Department's budget to help fund the digital ID scheme.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Digital Identity policy is in development, with a dedicated team inside the Cabinet Office working to develop the proposals.
Costs in this Spending Review period will be met within the existing Spending Review settlements.
We are inviting the public to have their say in the upcoming consultation as we develop a safe, secure, and inclusive system for the UK. No final decisions will be made until after the consultation.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, by how much they plan to reduce their Department's budget to help fund the digital ID scheme.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Digital Identity policy is in development, with a dedicated team inside the Cabinet Office working to develop the proposals.
Costs in this Spending Review period will be met within the existing Spending Review settlements.
We are inviting the public to have their say in the upcoming consultation as we develop a safe, secure, and inclusive system for the UK. No final decisions will be made until after the consultation.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether use of the digital ID scheme will be mandatory for renting properties.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
No. The Government does not propose making it mandatory to have the national digital ID for proving the right to rent a property.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the potential economic impact of decisions businesses have made on the basis of the announcement of compulsory digital ID on 26 September 2025 and 13 January 2026.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Development of the policy underpinning the national digital credential is ongoing.
We are inviting the public to have their say, including business stakeholders, in the upcoming consultation as we develop a safe, secure, and inclusive system for the UK.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to prevent the creation of fake Digital IDs.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The UK’s digital ID scheme will be built to the highest security standards, following National Cyber Security Centre guidance.
To help guard against fake digital IDs, we propose that any checking of such IDs will be done via a robust digital process. For example, we do not think people should be able to ‘flash’ their digital ID on their phone screen.
This will help ensure a digital ID has not been faked, tampered with or revoked.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, by how much they plan to reduce their Department's budget to help fund the digital ID scheme.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Digital Identity policy is in development, with a dedicated team inside the Cabinet Office working to develop the proposals.
Costs in this Spending Review period will be met within the existing Spending Review settlements. We are inviting the public to have their say in the upcoming consultation as we develop a safe, secure, and inclusive system for the UK. No final decisions will be made until after the consultation.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, by how much they plan to reduce their Department's budget to help fund the digital ID scheme.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
Digital identity policy is in development, with a dedicated team inside the Cabinet Office working to develop the proposals.
Costs in this spending review period will be met within the existing spending review settlements.
We are inviting the public to have their say in the upcoming consultation as we develop a safe, secure, and inclusive system for the UK. No final decisions will be made until after the consultation.