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1719207

registered interest
date	20/05/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	UK Research and Innovation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help align UK Research and Innovation priorities with Government priorities.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	26941
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2024 answer text <p>As the UK’s largest funder of research and innovation, UKRI is central to delivering the objectives the government set out in the UK Science and Technology Framework, including across our portfolio of five critical technologies. UKRI is investing £250 million in Technology Missions to enable new and existing capabilities and capacity in artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and engineering biology, with a further £70 million announced to support future telecommunications. On levelling up, UKRI is helping to deliver our ambition to raise domestic public investment in R&amp;D outside the Greater South East, through its £100 million Innovation Accelerators programme. Furthermore, through UKRI’s declaration on support businesses to grow and scale, they will simplify and expand their support for innovative firms, aiming to reach a million innovators by the end of the year and halve the average time it takes companies to go from application to receiving grant funding.</p> answering member constituency Arundel and South Downs answering member printed Andrew Griffith question first answered 24/05/2024 09:11:29 answering member 4874 label Biography information for Andrew Griffith
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1719222

registered interest
date	20/05/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	X Corp: Disinformation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps the Counter disinformation unit has taken to help X tackle QAon disinformation on its platform.
tabling member constituency	South Swindon
tabling member printed	Sir Robert Buckland
uin	27030
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>In October 2023 the Counter Disinformation Unit became the National Security and Online Information Team (the NSOIT). The name more accurately reflects the team’s revised remit and function, which is to tackle the greatest national security risks facing the UK from mis and disinformation, specifically looking at threats posed by foreign states, risks to elections and from the use of AI and deepfakes. This revised remit is kept under regular review.</p><p> </p><p>NSOIT’s remit does not include working with individual platforms to tackle mis or disinformation from certain individuals or groups. In specific circumstances, the NSOIT may share online material with platforms where it is in line with ministerial steers, is on an issue within the team’s remit, and where the content appears to be in breach of the platform’s terms of service. Social media platforms decide whether or not content is a breach of their terms of service and, if so, what action to take.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti question first answered 23/05/2024 16:15:31 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland

1719291

registered interest
date	20/05/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to her Department's publications entitled DSIT: spending over £500, October 2023 and DSIT: spending over £500, November 2023, published on 17 May 2024 for what reason payments of (a) £794.50 were made to Trove on 18 October 2023 and (b) £700 were made to Blue Orchid Hotels on 27 November 2023.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	26989
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The Department spent a) £794.50 at Trove on catering for 70 people attending an all-day staff training event held off-site and b) £700 with Blue Orchid Hotels on the hire of a venue and equipment for an all-day staff training event for 100 people.</p> answering member constituency Arundel and South Downs answering member printed Andrew Griffith question first answered 23/05/2024 10:57:00 answering member 4874 label Biography information for Andrew Griffith
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1719354

registered interest
date	20/05/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Ofcom: Business
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many businesses Ofcom regulated (a) as of 20 May 2024 and (b) in 2016.
tabling member constituency	West Suffolk
tabling member printed	Matt Hancock
uin	27020
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The government does not actively monitor how many businesses Ofcom are regulating. It is also not possible for Ofcom to provide an exact number for how many businesses it is currently regulating or regulated in 2016, as many of the companies that Ofcom regulates across a range of sectors are done so via general authorisation and notification regimes.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 23/05/2024 09:33:29 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock

1719355

registered interest
date	20/05/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Information Commission: Business
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many businesses the Information Commissioner’s Office regulated (a) as of 20 May 2024 and (b) in 2016.
tabling member constituency	West Suffolk
tabling member printed	Matt Hancock
uin	27021
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>Under the Data Protection (Charges and Information) Regulations 2018, individuals and organisations that process personal data need to register and pay a data protection fee to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), unless they are exempt.</p><p>At the end of December 2016, 457,846 organisations were registered with the ICO. The most recent figure shows that on 20 May 2024, 1,183,158 organisations were registered with the ICO.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 23/05/2024 09:43:33 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock

1719396

registered interest
date	20/05/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Mobile Broadband: Rural Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that areas without access to 4G signal will continue to access signal after the 3G switch-off.
tabling member constituency	North Shropshire
tabling member printed	Helen Morgan
uin	27134
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The government welcomes legacy networks being switched off in a responsible way, as this will increase network efficiency, minimise energy consumption and free up spectrum for 4G and 5G networks and beyond.</p><p> </p><p>Ofcom has published details of how it expects the mobile network operators (MNOs) to conduct the switch off in line with their regulatory obligations, and the mobile network operators have committed to offer broadly the same level of coverage via their 4G networks as they currently offer on their 3G (and 2G) networks.</p><p> </p><p>Given MNOs’ assurances that 4G coverage should be available in place of 3G following switchover, farmers currently using 3G for navigation should therefore be able to rely on 4G coverage or, failing that, satellite navigation systems.</p><p> </p><p>The Shared Rural Network aims to extend 4G coverage to 95% of UK landmass by the end of 2025, while further coverage improvements in the more hard-to-reach areas will continue to be delivered until the start of 2027. 4G coverage is already available to over 93% of the UK landmass.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez grouped question UIN 27135 question first answered 23/05/2024 09:48:10 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4934 label Biography information for Helen Morgan

1719397

registered interest
date	20/05/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Global Positioning System: Agriculture
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure farmers will continue to be able to use GPS equipment after the 3G switch-off.
tabling member constituency	North Shropshire
tabling member printed	Helen Morgan
uin	27135
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The government welcomes legacy networks being switched off in a responsible way, as this will increase network efficiency, minimise energy consumption and free up spectrum for 4G and 5G networks and beyond.</p><p> </p><p>Ofcom has published details of how it expects the mobile network operators (MNOs) to conduct the switch off in line with their regulatory obligations, and the mobile network operators have committed to offer broadly the same level of coverage via their 4G networks as they currently offer on their 3G (and 2G) networks.</p><p> </p><p>Given MNOs’ assurances that 4G coverage should be available in place of 3G following switchover, farmers currently using 3G for navigation should therefore be able to rely on 4G coverage or, failing that, satellite navigation systems.</p><p> </p><p>The Shared Rural Network aims to extend 4G coverage to 95% of UK landmass by the end of 2025, while further coverage improvements in the more hard-to-reach areas will continue to be delivered until the start of 2027. 4G coverage is already available to over 93% of the UK landmass.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez grouped question UIN 27134 question first answered 23/05/2024 09:48:10 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4934 label Biography information for Helen Morgan

1719003

registered interest
date	17/05/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Mobile Broadband
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to support mobile phone owners whose device is not 4G compatible when the 3G signal is switched off.
tabling member constituency	North Shropshire
tabling member printed	Helen Morgan
uin	26930
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2024 answer text <p>The government welcomes legacy networks being switched off in a responsible way, as this will free up spectrum for 4G and 5G networks and beyond. Ofcom has published details of how it expects the mobile network operators to conduct the switch off in line with their regulatory obligations. These expectations include providing customers with a minimum of three to six months’ notice of any steps they need to take as a result of their provider switching off their 3G networks; communicating in a clear and timely way, using a range of communication channels to raise customer awareness of the proposed changes; and providing additional support to vulnerable customers.</p><p> </p><p>The mobile network operators have set out advice to their customers on 3G switch off plans on each of their websites.</p><p> </p><p>We will continue to monitor the MNOs’ progress in switching off their 3G networks.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 22/05/2024 09:06:42 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4934 label Biography information for Helen Morgan

1719091

registered interest
date	17/05/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Online Safety Act 2023: Freedom of Expression
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the recommendations on the inclusion of (a) human rights and (b) due process principles in Ofcom guidance to companies relating to the Online Safety Act 2023 in the article by The Open Rights Group entitled A dangerous precedent for global censorship, published on 4 March 2024.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	26856
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The government recognises the importance of upholding users’ rights to free expression and privacy online. This is why the Online Safety Act 2023 has built strong safeguards for freedom of expression and privacy into the legislative framework. For example, all providers are required to give particular regard to the importance of protecting users’ freedom of expression and privacy rights when implementing measures to comply with their new safety duties. In addition, major online platforms – known as Category 1 services under the Act - will be required to put in place particular safeguards for journalism and content of democratic importance, in recognition of their influence over public discourse.</p><p>Ofcom’s public consultation for the illegal content duties closed in February 2024 and organisations such as the Open Rights Group were able to provide feedback on Ofcom’s proposals. As a public authority, Ofcom must act in accordance with its public law duties to act lawfully, rationally and fairly. It is unlawful for Ofcom to act in a way which is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights, including with regard to individual’s’ rights to freedom of expression and privacy. Ofcom must abide by these principles when developing its regulatory codes of practice and guidance for services.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti grouped question UIN 26858 question first answered 23/05/2024 14:07:32 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1719092

registered interest
date	17/05/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Online Safety Act 2023: Data Protection
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking with Ofcom to ensure that its guidance on age (a) verification and (b) assurance under the Online Safety Act 2023 reflects data privacy considerations.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	26857
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The Online Safety Act 2023 includes strong safeguards for user privacy. The Act includes principles that Ofcom must have regard to when recommending the use of age assurance technologies for compliance with duties in the Act. Privacy has been represented in these principles, which outline that considerations relating to privacy, as set out in the Data Protection Act 2018, apply to all uses of age assurance technologies used to comply with duties in the Act.</p><p> </p><p>Ofcom is consulting on its codes of practice and guidance, with the child safety codes of practice currently out for consultation.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti question first answered 23/05/2024 16:13:33 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell