Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1568868

registered interest
date	19/01/2023
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Digital Technology: Disadvantaged
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of digital poverty on young people and their households.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL4925
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2023 answer text <p>HM Government recognises that digital skills and digital access are increasingly required to participate in many aspects of society.</p><p>The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport works with third-sector organisations across the UK to understand the challenges facing people in digital poverty. The Digital Poverty Alliance, one of our partners, has recently published an evidence review which made an assessment of the impact of digital poverty on young people and their households. This has found that 30 per cent of young people aged 8–25 (2.1 million people) are at risk of becoming ‘digital castaways’ and that 42 per cent of young people (6 million people) do not have either home broadband or a laptop/desktop computer. Young people who are digitally excluded are less likely to be in well-paying jobs, have worse health outcomes, and have an overall lower quality of life.</p><p>We also work across Government and with the private sector to ensure that the needs of digitally excluded people are considered. For example, DCMS has negotiated a range of high-quality, low-cost social tariffs for households in receipt of Universal Credit and other means-tested benefits, including Pension Credit. These are available across 99 per cent of the UK.</p> answering member printed Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay question first answered 03/02/2023 14:24:35 answering member 4728 label Biography information for Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1469851

registered interest
date	13/06/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Digital Technology: Disadvantaged
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to tackle digital exclusion.
tabling member constituency	Twickenham
tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
uin	17142
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2022 answer text <p>The Government is focused on building a world-leading digital economy that works for everyone. As the overall lead department for digital, DCMS works closely with the rest of the government to ensure that all departments consider the needs of digitally excluded people when making policy.</p><p>To improve access to the internet, help is available for low income households to access broadband, mobile and landline services. A range of low-cost social tariffs are available to those on Universal Credit, and a number specifically include individuals on Pension Credit. These tariffs are available to eligible households in 99% of the UK.</p><p>To improve access to vital digital skills, the government has introduced a digital entitlement for adults with no or low digital skills. This allows adults wishing to acquire essential digital skills to gain specified digital qualifications, up to level 1, free of charge. Essential Digital Skills Qualifications (EDSQs), introduced alongside the digital entitlement, are based on new national standards which set out the digital skills people need to get on in life and work. We also support the provision of essential digital skills training in community settings through the Adult Education Budget.</p><p>Public libraries play an important role in tackling digital exclusion. Around 2,900 public libraries in England provide a trusted network of accessible locations with staff, volunteers, free wifi, public PCs, and assisted digital access to a wide range of digital services.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 21/06/2022 07:54:44 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1388724

registered interest
date	16/12/2021
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Digital Technology: Disadvantaged
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to tackle digital exclusion in the context of the Plan B restrictions announced by the Government on 8 December 2021.
tabling member constituency	Nottingham East
tabling member printed	Nadia Whittome
uin	94577
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2022 answer text <p>The Government’s 10 Tech Priorities include building a tech-savvy nation where no-one is left behind by the digital revolution. For this reason, the government is working to ensure that everyone has digital access to further their training and improve employment prospects.</p><p>The pandemic and the ongoing measures, including those implemented under Plan B, continue to highlight the importance of supporting digitally excluded people. Throughout the pandemic, DCMS has supported initiatives that help address digital exclusion. These include the Digital Lifeline fund, which provided tablets, data and free digital support to over 5,000 people with learning disabilities who would otherwise find it difficult to get online.</p><p>Additionally, in September 2021, the Inclusive Economy Partnership (IEP), partnered with industry leaders to launch the Digital Inclusion Impact Group focused on tackling digital exclusion. One of the pilot programmes is <a href="https://www.ukauthority.com/articles/government-industry-partnership-forms-digital-inclusion-impact-group/" target="_blank">Dell Donate to Educate</a>, which will support children across England with the right access to technology at school and at home.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 07/01/2022 10:34:02 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4869 label Biography information for Nadia Whittome

1385751

registered interest
date	07/12/2021
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Digital Technology: Disadvantaged
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to tackle digital exclusion in (a) Coventry North East constituency and (b) Coventry.
tabling member constituency	Coventry North East
tabling member printed	Colleen Fletcher
uin	88737
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2021 answer text <p>The Government’s 10 Tech Priorities include building a tech savvy nation where no-one is left behind by the digital revolution. For this reason, the government is working to ensure that everyone has digital access to further their training and improve employment prospects.</p><p>DCMS officials recently held a roundtable with local stakeholders in the West Midlands to share insights on how to support access into the digital sector locally. We recently published a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/assessing-the-uks-regional-digital-ecosystems" target="_blank">report</a> using the findings from the roundtable, which provides suggestions on how to further help level up the West Midlands digital ecosystem.</p><p>Using the reports findings, DCMS will continue to support the West Midlands Local Digital Skills Partnership that is working with partners to help tackle the region's digital inclusion challenges.</p><p>In addition, DCMS has supported initiatives such as the Digital Lifeline fund, which provided tablets, data and free digital support to over 5,000 people with learning disabilities who would otherwise find it difficult to get online. So far 394 devices and connectivity have been distributed to local delivery partners and centres in the West Midlands and 31 in the Coventry District. There are 29 Good Things Foundation Online centres across Coventry, providing support to those who are digitally excluded.</p><p>Furthermore, in September 2021, the Government body, the Inclusive Economy Partnership (IEP), partnered with industry leaders to launch the Digital Inclusion Impact Group to tackle digital exclusion. One of the pilot programmes is <a href="https://www.ukauthority.com/articles/government-industry-partnership-forms-digital-inclusion-impact-group/" target="_blank">Dell Donate to Educate</a>, which will support children across England with the right access to technology at school and at home.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 10/12/2021 17:37:59 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4378 label Biography information for Colleen Fletcher

1380268

registered interest
date	19/11/2021
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Digital Technology: Disadvantaged
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the impact of digital exclusion in the North East on the ability of individuals to access (a) education, (b) skills and (c) employment; and what steps she is taking to minimise that impact.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	78400
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2021 answer text <p>To gain further understanding of the regional capacities and imbalances in the UK digital economy, DCMS recently published an <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1020407/Digital_Regional_Ecosystems_report_v9.1.pdf" target="_blank">Assessing the UK’s Regional Ecosystems Report</a>. The report notes that whilst household internet access in the North East is in line with the UK (median) average (94%), it is amongst the lowest UK regions for adults using the internet overall (89%) and for internet users finding information online for work / study (36%).</p><p>To help improve this, the government has introduced a range of opportunities to access skills training and gain digital skills qualifications. It has introduced the Digital Skills Entitlement for adults with no or low digital skills. Adults can undertake specified digital qualifications, up to level one, free of charge. It also offers access to digital bootcamps as a way for people to undertake digital skills training in skills that are in particularly high demand by industry. From May 2021, the government has been offering 33 free Level 3 digital skills courses to adults aged 19-24 as part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee.</p><p>In September 2021, the Government body, the Inclusive Economy Partnership (IEP), partnered with industry leaders to launch the Digital Inclusion Impact Group to tackle digital exclusion. One of the pilot programmes is <a href="https://www.ukauthority.com/articles/government-industry-partnership-forms-digital-inclusion-impact-group/" target="_blank">Dell Donate to Educate</a>, which will support children across England with the right access to technology at school and at home.</p><p>DCMS’s Digital Lifeline fund provided tablets, data and free digital support to over 5,000 people with learning disabilities who would otherwise find it difficult to get online. In the North East, 387 people received devices and data through the scheme.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 24/11/2021 09:09:44 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1380269

registered interest
date	19/11/2021
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Digital Technology: Disadvantaged
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions her Department has had with local authorities in the North East on how to provide targeted support to disadvantaged and socially excluded groups who are most likely to experience digital exclusion.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	78401
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/11/2021 answer text <p>The Government, industry and the third sector are working closely together to ensure the UK has the digital skills it requires for life and for work.</p><p>DCMS officials recently held a roundtable with local stakeholders in the North East to share insights on how to support access into the digital sector locally. We recently published a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/assessing-the-uks-regional-digital-ecosystems" target="_blank">report</a> using the findings from the roundtable, which provides suggestions on how to further help level up the North East’s digital ecosystem.</p><p>To help support those with learning disabilities, the Digital Lifeline fund provides tablets, data and free digital support to over 5,000 people with learning disabilities who would otherwise find it difficult to get online. In the North East, 387 people received devices and data as part of the Digital Lifeline between February 2021 and October 2021.</p><p>DCMS has had initial discussions with the North East LEP who have expressed an interest in setting up a regional digital skills partnership. Such a partnership would bring together local cross-sector partners to design, develop and coordinate the delivery of digital skills programmes to upskill the current workforce, tackle digital exclusion and raise awareness of the importance of digital skills regionally.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 29/11/2021 08:34:27 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1380270

registered interest
date	19/11/2021
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Digital Technology: Disadvantaged
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of digital exclusion on the ability of individuals to access (a) online training, (b) job searches and (c) virtual interviews.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	78402
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/11/2021 answer text <p>The Government’s 10 Tech Priorities include building a tech savvy nation where no-one is left behind by the digital revolution. For this reason, the government is working to ensure that everyone has digital access to further their training and improve employment prospects.</p><p>We recognise that it is not enough for people to just have good mobile and broadband coverage. They also need to have affordable access and have the devices and skills to be able to take part in the digital economy.</p><p>On devices, the government is tackling the digital divide for adults with learning disabilities through our £2.5m Digital Lifeline fund. Throughout the pandemic, this fund has provided tablets, data and free digital support to over 5,000 people with learning disabilities, enabling them to connect with friends and family, and access services and support groups, promoting overall well being. The Lifeline fund, now in the process of evaluation, also provided mentoring and sustained support for users to increase their digital skills and confidence.</p><p>The Government is making sure that training is available for all adults wishing to acquire digital skills. In order to guarantee opportunities to develop essential digital skills, the government introduced a new digital entitlement for adults with low digital skills to undertake improved basic skills qualifications free of charge. Essential Digital Skills qualifications (EDSQs), introduced alongside the digital entitlement at entry level and level 1, are a new qualification type based on employer-supported national standards for essential digital skills, which set out the digital skills people need to get on in life and work. (Level one qualifications are GCSE grades 3, 2, 1 or grades D, E, F, G).</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 29/11/2021 08:37:07 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1380272

registered interest
date	19/11/2021
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Digital Technology: Disadvantaged
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the recommendation of the North East LEP report, entitled Digital Exclusion in the North East LEP Area, published in September 2021, to introduce short, practical courses and advice on digital skills delivered in informal, community-based settings.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	78404
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/11/2021 answer text <p>The <a href="https://evidencehub.northeastlep.co.uk/storage/app/media/Digital%20Exclusion%20in%20the%20North%20East%20LEP%20Area/Digital%20Exclusion%20in%20the%20North%20East%20LEP%20Area_Executive%20Summary_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">Digital Exclusion in the North East LEP Area </a>report highlights priority actions for tackling the economic and skills impacts of digital exclusion. As mentioned in the report, digital inclusion is a complex issue. Addressing this challenge requires collaboration between the government, businesses and academia.</p><p>To gain and develop essential digital skills, the government introduced a new digital entitlement for adults with low digital skills to undertake improved basic skills qualifications free of charge.</p><p>The Government has introduced a range of opportunities to access digital skills training and gain digital skills qualifications, including through short courses. Digital bootcamps offer digital skills training in skills that are in particularly high demand from industry. The courses are free, flexible and last up to 16 weeks. At Budget it was announced that there would be further investment in skills bootcamps, with the aim to quadruple the number of places.</p><p>To embed digital skills into the higher education and further education curriculum and as part of the National Data Strategy skills commitments, the government has committed to test the most effective ways to teach foundational data skills to undergraduates in two ways – through offering modules including wider subjects such as AI, cyber and digital skills, and by integrating data skills in other subject areas. Universities will take part in the pilot on a voluntary basis.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 29/11/2021 08:40:55 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1356095

registered interest
date	16/09/2021
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Digital Technology: Disadvantaged
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What steps she is taking to help prevent people from becoming digitally excluded.
tabling member constituency	Halifax
tabling member printed	Holly Lynch
uin	903490
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/09/2021 answer text <p>The Government has worked closely with providers to put in place social tariffs. These provide low cost landline and broadband services for people on means-tested state benefits. We are encouraging providers who do not currently offer social tariff packages to do so. The telecoms industry has also removed data caps on fixed broadband packages, and provides free or low cost data boosts on mobile services to support vulnerable consumers.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>In February DCMS also launched a £2.5 million Digital Lifeline Fund to reduce the digital exclusion of people with learning disabilities.This fund has provided tablets, data and free digital support to over 5,000 people with learning disabilities, enabling them to connect with friends and family, and access services and support groups, promoting overall well being.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government has also introduced a digital entitlement for adults with no or low digital skills to undertake specified digital qualifications, up to level 1, free of charge.</p><p><strong><p><p></strong></p><p>Finally, around 2,900 public libraries in England provide accessible locations offering free Wi-Fi, computers, and other technology. Library staff, often supported by volunteers, can provide library users with digital support.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 28/09/2021 10:39:56 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4472 label Biography information for Holly Lynch

1342064

registered interest
date	29/06/2021
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Digital Technology: Disadvantaged
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to increase digital inclusivity, and (2) to address the digital divide.
tabling member printed	Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick
uin	HL1556
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2021 answer text <p>The Government’s 10 Tech Priorities include building a tech savvy nation where everyone has a base level of cyber and digital skills.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Training is available for adults wishing to acquire digital skills. The Government has introduced a digital entitlement for adults with no or low digital skills to undertake specified digital qualifications, up to level 1, free of charge.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government is tackling the digital divide for adults with learning disabilities through our £2.5m Digital Lifeline fund. This fund is providing tablets, data and free digital support to over 5,000 people with learning disabilities, enabling them to connect with friends and family, and access services and support groups, promoting overall well being.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The pandemic has highlighted the importance of digital connectivity. It has been an important component in allowing children to learn remotely. Over 1.3 million laptops and tablets have been distributed to schools, trusts, local authorities and further education providers for disadvantaged children and young people as part of a £400 million government investment to support access to remote education and online social care services.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Government has worked closely with industry throughout the pandemic and agreed a set of commitments with the UK’s major broadband and mobile operators to support consumers during the Covid-19 period. Providers have committed to working with customers who are finding it difficult to pay their bill as a result of Covid-19 to ensure that they are treated fairly and appropriately supported. There are also social tariffs in place that provide low cost landline and broadband services for those on means tested benefits.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 05/07/2021 15:06:41 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	4130 label Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick