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1702098

registered interest
date	18/04/2024
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	Orwell Bridge: Weather
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 instruct the Meteorological Office to publish the (a) actual and (b) forecast data on wind in relation to Orwell Bridge in Suffolk every day.
tabling member constituency	Suffolk Coastal
tabling member printed	Dr Thérèse Coffey
uin	22555
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>The Met Office provides public site-specific weather forecasts for numerous locations in the UK, which are available on the Met Office website and app. The nearest site-specific forecast is for Suffolk Ski Centre, which is adjacent to Orwell Bridge. The Met Office has a network of weather observing stations around the UK and the latest observations are available on the Met Office website. The Met Office does not have a weather observing station at Orwell Bridge. The nearest is at Wattisham. The Met Office provides a commercial forecasting service to national highways to aid decision making on speed limits and closure of Orwell Bridge due to high winds, to help keep bridge users safe.</p> answering member constituency Arundel and South Downs answering member printed Andrew Griffith question first answered 22/04/2024 14:29:43 answering member 4874 label Biography information for Andrew Griffith
tabling member	4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey

1701867

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
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	Voice over Internet Protocol: Power Failures
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 she plans to take to help ensure (a) energy companies and (b) network operators can contact consumers on the Energy Priority Services Register during a power cut once the digital switchover is complete.
tabling member constituency	Rhondda
tabling member printed	Sir Chris Bryant
uin	22260
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>DSIT is engaging with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to ensure robust measures are in place to mitigate any risks arising from the Public Switched Telephone (PSTN) switchover in the energy sector. The details regarding contingency plans and consumer prioritisation in the energy sector falls within DESNZ’s remit.</p><p> </p><p>DSIT works closely on a range of resilience issues in partnership with industry, through the Electronic Communications Resilience &amp; Response Group (EC-RRG), who engage in regular dialogue with the Energy Networks Association across a range of issues to help strengthen resilience between the telecoms and energy sectors.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) also recently consulted on proposals to establish a multi-sector Priority Services Register to enable better data sharing between providers of gas, water, electricity, and telecoms providers, and allow consumers to be registered as vulnerable across sectors. The consultation closed in January 2024, with a response expected in due course.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 22/04/2024 09:02:38 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	1446 label Biography information for Sir Chris Bryant

1701868

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
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	Voice over Internet Protocol: Telemedicine
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department is monitoring how many retrospective checks have been conducted on forcibly migrated households to investigate if they had telecare devices.
tabling member constituency	Rhondda
tabling member printed	Sir Chris Bryant
uin	22261
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>It is the Government’s utmost priority that vulnerable people and telecare users are protected throughout the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) migration. In December 2023, the UK’s major Communication Providers agreed to sign a PSTN Charter, committing to improve protections for vulnerable customers. The Charter can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-switched-telephone-network-charter/public-switched-telephone-network-charter" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-switched-telephone-network-charter/public-switched-telephone-network-charter</a></p><p> </p><p>As set out in the PSTN Charter, Communication Providers have agreed to conduct additional checks on customers who have already been forcibly migrated. This is with a view to ensuring that the customers do not have telecare devices that providers were unaware of, and if they do, to ensure that the correct support is provided to them.</p><p> </p><p>The Government will be monitoring the Communication Providers’ adherence to the Charter through bilateral meetings and through asking the companies for written updates on their approach to the migration.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 22/04/2024 09:07:00 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	1446 label Biography information for Sir Chris Bryant

1701869

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
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	Broadband: Road Works
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the impact of trials of flexible permitting for streetworks on supporting the rollout of gigabit-capable broadband.
tabling member constituency	Rhondda
tabling member printed	Sir Chris Bryant
uin	22262
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>The Government will shortly be trialling a more flexible permitting system, which would grant permission to work in multiple streets - as opposed to the current system which requires statutory undertakers to submit a separate permit for every street they work in. This would allow companies carrying out works to move from street to street quickly.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is working with the Department for Transport to trial this concept across England. DSIT have appointed an independent contractor to design, oversee and evaluate the trials, which we expect to commence in the second quarter of 2024.</p><p> </p><p>Once trials have concluded, Ministers will consider the results of the evaluation, and decide whether a flexible permitting scheme should be introduced.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 22/04/2024 09:10:31 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	1446 label Biography information for Sir Chris Bryant

1701907

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
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	Research: Public Sector
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 his Department is taking to to help improve the performance of public sector research establishments.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	22307
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>Public sector research establishments are diverse organisations that deliver science and research for public good, often playing a vital role in critical infrastructure and public safety. The Government’s response, published in November 2023, to the Independent Review of the UK’s Research, Development and Innovation Organisational Landscape sets out ambitious commitments to support PSREs to maximise their capabilities and performance. Commitments include raising awareness of PSREs, reducing barriers for collaborative working across PSREs and understanding challenges within recruitment and retention for PSREs. This work is underway, and progress will be reported through the Science and Technology Framework implementation plans.</p> answering member constituency Arundel and South Downs answering member printed Andrew Griffith question first answered 22/04/2024 09:14:01 answering member 4874 label Biography information for Andrew Griffith
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1701908

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
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	Research: Overseas Investment
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 steps her Department is taking to help incentive overseas investment in research and development businesses based in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	22308
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>The UK is a highly attractive destination for inward investment in R&amp;D with a world-class research and skills base. Foreign direct investors have invested over £2 trillion in the UK, the UK’s FDI stock has more than doubled over the last 10 years showing the confidence multinationals have in the UK as place to do business (ONS).</p><p> </p><p>Through the Science and Technology framework my department is working to improve all aspects of the R&amp;D ecosystem in the UK to support both domestic and international businesses to invest in R&amp;D.</p> answering member constituency Arundel and South Downs answering member printed Andrew Griffith question first answered 22/04/2024 09:23:54 answering member 4874 label Biography information for Andrew Griffith
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1701916

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
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: Public Expenditure
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to respond to the recommendations of the independent report entitled Reforming the DSIT business case process, published by her Department on 9 February 2024.
tabling member constituency	Hove
tabling member printed	Peter Kyle
uin	22348
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>The Government welcomes David Willetts’ report and is considering the recommendations, including options for implementation. We are planning to publish a response before the end of April.</p> answering member constituency Arundel and South Downs answering member printed Andrew Griffith question first answered 22/04/2024 09:47:10 answering member 4874 label Biography information for Andrew Griffith
tabling member	4505 label Biography information for Peter Kyle

1701918

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
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	Broadband: North Shropshire
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent estimate she has made of when gigabit broadband coverage will be available to every household in North Shropshire constituency.
tabling member constituency	North Shropshire
tabling member printed	Helen Morgan
uin	22444
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>According to the independent website ThinkBroadband.com, almost 68% of premises in the North Shropshire constituency are able to access a gigabit-capable connection, up from just 3% in December 2019.</p><p> </p><p>To extend this coverage further, last year we signed a Project Gigabit contract with the supplier Freedom Fibre to deliver gigabit-capable connectivity to over 12,000 hard-to-reach premises in the North Shropshire region by the end of 2026, of which approximately 9,000 of these premises are in the North Shropshire constituency. There will also be further commercial rollout in the area.</p><p> </p><p>While the majority of premises will be covered by commercial activity or Project Gigabit, for those parts of the UK where this is not possible, the government is considering alternative ways to improve connectivity. Last year, government launched a consultation setting out our proposed policy approach to connecting Very Hard to Reach (VHTR) UK premises, with a response due to be published later this year. The response will set out further policy proposals for VHTR areas not already covered by commercial activity or existing government schemes.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez grouped question UIN 22445 question first answered 22/04/2024 09:53:20 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4934 label Biography information for Helen Morgan

1701919

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
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	Broadband: North Shropshire
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 estimate of the number of households that have access to gigabit broadband in North Shropshire constituency.
tabling member constituency	North Shropshire
tabling member printed	Helen Morgan
uin	22445
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>According to the independent website ThinkBroadband.com, almost 68% of premises in the North Shropshire constituency are able to access a gigabit-capable connection, up from just 3% in December 2019.</p><p> </p><p>To extend this coverage further, last year we signed a Project Gigabit contract with the supplier Freedom Fibre to deliver gigabit-capable connectivity to over 12,000 hard-to-reach premises in the North Shropshire region by the end of 2026, of which approximately 9,000 of these premises are in the North Shropshire constituency. There will also be further commercial rollout in the area.</p><p> </p><p>While the majority of premises will be covered by commercial activity or Project Gigabit, for those parts of the UK where this is not possible, the government is considering alternative ways to improve connectivity. Last year, government launched a consultation setting out our proposed policy approach to connecting Very Hard to Reach (VHTR) UK premises, with a response due to be published later this year. The response will set out further policy proposals for VHTR areas not already covered by commercial activity or existing government schemes.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez grouped question UIN 22444 question first answered 22/04/2024 09:53:20 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4934 label Biography information for Helen Morgan

1701920

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
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	Voice over Internet Protocol
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether officials in her Department have had discussions with Ofcom on the potential merits of increasing the minimum requirement for the battery life of an emergency back-up line provided to properties switched to the digital phone network.
tabling member constituency	North Shropshire
tabling member printed	Helen Morgan
uin	22446
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>Government is committed to improving protections for those who depend on their landline for connectivity. All signatories to the PSTN charter, agreed in December 2023, have committed to working to provide solutions that go beyond the Ofcom minimum guidance. Ofcom guidance states that communications providers should have at least one solution that enables access to emergency organisations, for a minimum of one hour in the event of a power outage. Communication Providers are required to meet standards and specifications set out in the General Conditions of Entitlement, under obligations imposed by the Communications Act 2003, to ensure continuity of service.</p><p> </p><p>Last year, DSIT asked Ofcom to consider how the general resilience of telecommunications services in the event of prolonged power outages served the needs of customers. In response, Ofcom launched a consultation on the resilience of the sector which included a separate call for input on power backup for mobile radio access networks that closed on 1 March. Ofcom is currently considering the responses.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 22/04/2024 09:58:05 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4934 label Biography information for Helen Morgan