theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2025 to Question 60129 on Local Government Finance, whether the LG DEL figures of (a) £15.0bn in 2025-26, (b) £15.4bn in 2026-27, (c) £15.6bn in 2027-28 and (d) £15.8bn in 2028-29 set out in Table 5.17 of CP1336 were used as the evidential basis for the core spending power calculations in the Spending Review 2025. \p Jim McMahon: The Core Spending Power (CSP) figures in Table 5.17 of the Spending Review document do contain the uplift from the LG Resource DEL figures, although not all of LG DEL is distributed through CSP. However, the CSP figures also contain estimations for Council Tax revenue which reflect the referendum principles announced at the Spending Review. They also contain an adjustment reflecting the impact of MHCLG retaining grant funding from 2026-27 onwards that has been surrendered in previous years to offset the impacts of additional business rates retained in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands, as outlined in footnote four of the table as well.

There is £3.4 billion of new grant funding which will be delivered through the Local Government Finance Settlement within financial years 2026-27 to 2028-29, and individual local authority CSP figures will be confirmed at settlement in the usual way.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether county council elections which were postponed in May 2025 will take place in May 2026. \p Jim McMahon: The government’s starting point is for all elections to go ahead unless there is strong justification. As set out to the House on 17 June, the government is now consulting on two proposals for unitary local government from councils in Surrey. If the Secretary of State decides to implement a proposal, secondary legislation, which will be subject to Parliamentary approval, will be required to abolish existing councils, establish new structures and make transitional arrangements. Those transitional arrangements, consistent with precedent, would include replacing scheduled local elections with elections for the new councils, which will operate initially as new unitary authorities. This follows standard practice during Local Government Reorganisation, as conducted by the last government in Northamptonshire in 2020 and in Cumbria and North Yorkshire in 2022.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Perran Moon:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of resolving shared ownership arrangements of properties where offshore freehold ownership precludes staircasing. \p Rushanara Ali: Leases for shared ownership properties, whether these are grant funded or Section 106 delivery, must follow one of the shared ownership model leases provided by Homes England or the Greater London Authority. These model leases contain a fundamental clause which ensures that staircasing is permitted. In certain types of shared ownership, staircasing is however restricted to below 100%, this is to ensure properties remain as affordable housing in perpetuity.

Properties sold by private developers, and without grant funding or through Section 106, are not required to follow a model lease when sold via a shared ownership arrangement.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2025 to Question 60136 on Affordable Housing: Finance, excluding the affordable housing programme, what is the average annual real growth in capital expenditure from 2025-26 to 2029-30. \p Matthew Pennycook: Excluding our new Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP), my Department’s capital expenditure will decrease by an average of 2% per year from 2025-26 to 2029-30. This is equivalent to keeping capital investment other than the SAHP flat in cash terms on average across the period.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Leigh Ingham:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 6 November 2024 to Question 11995 on Park Homes: Sales, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of removing the 10 percent commission on the sale of park homes. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 44299 on 16 April 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Perran Moon:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for her policies of the recommendations set out in the Fifth Report of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee on Shared Ownership, Session 2023-24, published on 26 March 2024, HC 61. \p Rushanara Ali: Shared ownership has an important role to play in supporting households into home ownership who would otherwise struggle to purchase a property on the open market that meets their needs.

The Government is aware that some people who have entered shared ownership have faced significant challenges with their properties and there is ongoing consideration of what more can be done to improve the experience of shared owners, including consideration of the former Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee’s report recommendations on shared ownership.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Anneliese Midgley:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to ensure that copyright exceptions are not expanded by default through AI practices without adequate parliamentary scrutiny. \p Feryal Clark: The Government has stated that copying protected material in the UK will infringe copyright unless it is licensed, or an existing exception to copyright applies.

The Government recently consulted on several topics relating to the interaction between copyright and artificial intelligence (AI), including seeking views on potential legislative changes to copyright law in this area. This consultation closed on 25th February.

The Government’s priority now is to review all responses to the consultation, to help inform its next steps. The Government will continue to engage extensively on this issue and its proposals will be set out in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the new GOV.UK website will allow for integration with services provided by (a) local authorities and (b) other public bodies. \p Feryal Clark: The Blueprint for Modern Digital Government sets out the government's vision for joined-up services that span the public sector, deliver a more satisfying user experience and reduce the bureaucratic burden on citizens.

The GOV.UK website already helps users to move between GOV.UK and wider public services. Users can select their location to see information relevant to them, and follow embedded links to, for example, local government services and health-related content.

The new GOV.UK App similarly enables people to tailor their experience based on their location; after inputting a UK postcode, the GOV.UK App directs users to the relevant local council. Future iterations of the GOV.UK App will provide more personalised and integrated access.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of jobs that could be lost as a result of artificial intelligence. \p Feryal Clark: Government is working to harness the benefits that AI can bring in terms of economic growth, rising living standards, and improved worker wellbeing; while mitigating the risks. Government is planning for a range of plausible outcomes and closely monitoring the data that will help us track and prepare for these. We will continue to work closely with other government departments through the AI Opportunities Action Plan to ensure we shape AI to deliver economic prosperity for the UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Alan Mak:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to recommendation 5 in his Department's policy paper entitled AI Opportunities Action Plan: government response, published on 13 January 2025, what steps he plans to take to ensure the secure use of AI infrastructure while protecting users' privacy. \p Feryal Clark: The Government is delivering on its commitment to secure AI infrastructure through the designation of UK data centres as Critical National Infrastructure and the creation of AI Growth Zones to fast-track development. Alongside this, with the fast growth of the UK’s AI sector, the National Data Library will provide trusted data foundations needed to support the delivery of a modern digital economy and the Government’s Plan for Change, AI Opportunities Action Plan, and Blueprint for Modern Digital Government. These measures ensure that AI infrastructure is both resilient and trusted, supporting innovation while protecting the public’s privacy.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Alison Hume:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how he plans to update industry stakeholders on the progress of the expert working groups on (a) transparency, (b) licensing and (c) other technical standards mandated by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. \p Feryal Clark: The Government has committed to establishing expert stakeholder working groups to inform the development of policy on copyright and AI.

The Government is currently finalising plans for the stakeholder working groups and will publish information relating to this group on GOV.UK, which will include further details and a list of working group members.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure digital (a) inclusion and (b) consistency across in (i) urban and (ii) rural local authorities in transforming public service delivery. \p Feryal Clark: The Government is committed to improving digital inclusion and ensuring consistency in the transformation of public service delivery across both urban and rural areas. Through the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s Digital Inclusion Action Plan: First Steps, the Government is working with local authorities and delivery partners to improve access to digital services and address barriers to inclusion. This includes identifying and addressing gaps in existing guidance, such as the Service Manual and Service Standard, and developing a measurement framework to support service teams in assessing and improving inclusivity. These steps will support more consistent, user-focused service transformation regardless of location.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Alan Mak:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to recommendation 13 in his Department's policy paper entitled AI Opportunities Action Plan: government response, published on 13 January 2025, what discussions he has had with the (a) Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, (b) creative industries and (c) technology sector on the potential for a copyright cleared British media asset training data set, which can be licenced internationally at scale. \p Feryal Clark: The Industrial Strategy outlines important activity the Government is taking to grow our world-leading Creative Industries in clusters across the UK. This builds on the AI Opportunities Action Plan recommendations and includes a proposal for a Creative Content Exchange to become a trusted marketplace for selling, buying, licensing, and enabling permitted access to digitised cultural and creative assets. As part of this, and on an ongoing basis, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and DSIT officials are actively working with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in engaging with a range of organisations, including from the creative industries and technology sectors.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Alan Mak:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to recommendation 28 of the report commissioned by his Department entitled AI Opportunities Action Plan, published on 13 January 2025, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on how regulators have enabled AI innovation in their sectors. \p Feryal Clark: Artificial intelligence is the defining opportunity of our generation, and the Government is taking action to harness its economic benefits for UK citizens. As set out in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, we believe most AI systems should be regulated at the point of use, with our expert regulators best placed to do so. Departments are working proactively with regulators to provide clear strategic direction and support them on their AI capability needs. Through well-designed and implemented regulation, we can fuel fast, wide and safe development and adoption of AI. I regularly engage with Cabinet colleagues on this matter.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Alan Mak:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to recommendation 3 in his Department's policy paper entitled AI Opportunities Action Plan: government response, published on 13 January 2025, when he plans to outline his mission-focused plans. \p Feryal Clark: The Government agreed to take forward all the recommendations in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, including to set out a long-term plan for compute. The Government will set out this plan by the end of the summer.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Alan Mak:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to recommendation 14 of the report commissioned by his Department entitled AI Opportunities Action Plan, published on 13 January 2025, what steps he is taking to (a) maintain and (b) further the UK’s position as a leader in AI innovation through international compute partnerships. \p Feryal Clark: The Government recognises the importance of international collaboration to unlock AI’s potential, including through compute partnerships. We are engaging likeminded countries to explore partnerships that expand access to compute infrastructure and catalyse joint research. This includes maximising our membership of the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking and working with other likeminded partners to support researchers.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Alan Mak:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to recommendation 14 of the report commissioned by his Department entitled AI Opportunities Action Plan, published on 13 January 2025, when he plans to publish an updated assessment of skills required. \p Feryal Clark: Reducing the AI skills gap is critical for increasing the UK’s productivity and delivering long-term growth. In June, the Department for Education published an analysis of the skills needs for 10 priority sectors, including digital technology, and we are working with them and Skills England to further assess the skills gap and map pathways to fill it. We additionally announced a joint commitment with industry to upskill 7.5 million workers with vital AI skills. DSIT also regularly reviews the status of the UK’s AI labour market and has commissioned a survey of the labour market, which will be published later this year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the GOV.UK wallet will be launched as a standalone application; and what plans his Department has for the inclusion of digital driving licences within the wallet’s functionality. \p Feryal Clark: The Government is developing the GOV.UK Wallet, which will initially be released as part of the existing GOV.UK One Login app. The first credential will be the Veteran Card, followed by plans for an early version of the digital driving licence later this year. This follows on from the Blueprint for Modern Digital Government, requiring services to issue a digitally verified credential alongside any paper/card-based credential or proof of entitlement eligibility by the end of 2027.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what role the Digital Centre of Government will play in (a) mandating and (b) monitoring digital service standards across (i) departments and (ii) public bodies. \p Feryal Clark: The Service Standard provides the principles of building a good service. It’s made up of 14 points covering three specific areas: meeting user needs, providing a good service and using the right technology. The Service Standard is mandated for all GOV.UK services.

If a central government service is transactional, it will be assessed against the Service Standard before it can be accessed via GOV.UK. This applies even if the service is internal and will only be used by civil servants.

In ‘A blueprint for modern digital government’, the Government committed to publishing a new Digital & AI Roadmap which will set out further detail on plans to improve service standards and performance.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has undertaken a cross-Government audit of legacy systems to inform the prioritisation of modernisation efforts. \p Feryal Clark: The last survey of legacy systems was conducted in 2024. The scale of legacy varies by organisation and is not consistently measured, but it is estimated to comprise 28% of systems in central government departments in 2024, an increase from 26% in 2023.

Government Digital Service (GDS) has worked closely with HM Treasury throughout the recent spending review to ensure that decisions on funding took into account the need to replace and upgrade legacy IT systems. GDS will continue to work with both HMT and Departments going forward
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to support (a) public sector bodies and (b) local authorities to (i) replace and (ii) upgrade legacy IT systems. \p Feryal Clark: The Government is committed to ensuring that all public sector digital systems are safe, secure and stable. This includes ensuring that legacy systems are effectively managed.

To support this, the Government Digital Service worked closely with HMT throughout the recent spending review to ensure that decisions on funding took into account the need to replace and upgrade legacy IT systems.

The Government Digital Service will now continue to work with organisations across the public sector, including local government, to identify the most effective ways to upgrade or replace legacy services and to share best practice.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department plans to mandate the adoption of common technical architecture and standards across departments as part of digital transformation efforts. \p Feryal Clark: The Government is committed to delivering systematic shifts in how whole organisations work together to deliver joined up public services. This includes changes such as using shared digital and data infrastructure to meet common needs.

The Government committed to setting up a Technical Design Council led by expert technology, data and AI practitioners, to tackle the toughest and most strategic technical decisions with the needs of the whole sector in mind.

The Government also committed to consolidating guidance and standards for digital and technology, retiring out-of-date and duplicative things, updating critical ones, streamlining the information teams need and making it easier for them to understand what to do.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to coordinate integration of digital platforms across departments. \p Feryal Clark: The Government is committed to delivering more joined up public services, reducing duplication, and developing modern digital public infrastructure that will make public organisations more integrated.

The Government has also committed to introducing a Digital Backbone: the integration, orchestration and instrumentation technology needed to share capabilities and build true end-to-end journeys.

The Government has also committed to launch a Digital Commercial Centre of Excellence, which will negotiate whole-of-public-sector agreements and contracting once for a limited number of high value cases, including platform services such as cloud.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has made an assessment of regional differences in digital infrastructure that may affect the rollout of the digital transformation strategy. \p Chris Bryant: Differences in digital infrastructure are regularly assessed through Ofcom’s Connected Nations reporting. We are committed to ensuring nationwide (at least 99%) gigabit broadband coverage by 2032 and to standalone 5G coverage by 2030 across all populated areas of the UK.

88% of premises already have access to gigabit-capable broadband. To extend coverage further, Project Gigabit contracts have been signed across the UK. These contracts take account of regional differences in provision of digital infrastructure.

4G coverage from at least one mobile operator has now reached over 95% of the UK landmass as a result of the Shared Rural Network, with the biggest improvements in mobile coverage being delivered across rural Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Scotland had the lowest coverage at the start of the programme, so the biggest investment has been directed there to improve coverage.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will visit the new Robotics Living Lab at the Manchester Fashion Institute, Manchester Metropolitan University, to make an assessment of the potential merits of this example of investment by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council CReSca World Class Lab funding for innovative technology for sustainable fashion manufacturing. \p Feryal Clark: The Robotics Living Lab was awarded £3.8 million from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through its World Class Labs programme. This represents an outstanding example of how public funding for university-driven and interdisciplinary research can attract private investment, and the government is delighted that it is now leading the future of textiles and fashion.

As part of the Industrial Strategy, the government recently published the Creative Industries Sector Plan to cement the UK’s position as a global creative powerhouse by 2035. A £100 million UKRI investment over the Spending Review will support the ambitious next wave of R&D creative clusters throughout the UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference page 26 of the National Security Strategy 2025, CP 1338, published on 24 June 2025, what his Department's planned timetable is the publication of the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill; and what plans he has for (a) pre-legislative scrutiny and (b) consultation in relation to that Bill. \p Feryal Clark: The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill was announced at the King’s Speech. It will be introduced in this session of Parliament, as soon as parliamentary time allows.

The previous government consulted on the majority of measures in 2022, which demonstrated significant support. We published a policy statement in April detailing our plans for the Bill.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Anneliese Midgley:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will publish a summary of responses to the consultation on copyright and AI. \p Feryal Clark: The Government is currently reviewing over 11,500 responses to the consultation on copyright and AI and will publish its response in due course. This will include a summary of consultation responses.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Anneliese Midgley:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what his planned timeline is for publishing proposals in relation to his Department's recent consultation entitled Copyright and Artificial Intelligence, which closed on 25 February 2025. \p Feryal Clark: The Government is currently reviewing over 11,500 responses to the consultation on copyright and AI and will publish its proposals in due course.

In addition, as set out in the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, the Government has committed to providing a progress report to Parliament by 18 December, and publishing an economic impact assessment, and report on the use of copyright works in the development of AI systems, by 18 March 2026.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment he has made of the potential barriers to cross-departmental data integration; and what steps he is taking to help mitigate them. \p Feryal Clark: The State of Digital Government Review identified five root causes for the issues with the current state of digital government, all of which are barriers to cross-departmental data integration: Leadership, Structure, Measurement, Talent and Funding. In addition, an extensive data management discovery has recently concluded which identified strategic, cultural and technical barriers to data capability across government.

The Blueprint for Modern Digital Government sets out the first steps in the government's plans to address these challenges, including work to strengthen and extend our digital and data infrastructure. This includes developing guidance, standards and tools for fast and secure data exchange, such as a mandate for the publication of a standard set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) by public sector organisations, and the development of a cross-government Data Management Hub to support the adoption of consistent best practice. We are also expanding data sharing legislation, where necessary, and creating the National Data Library to provide the trusted data foundations needed for the delivery of a modern digital economy.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he plans to take to help tackle public concerns on (a) surveillance and (b) the misuse of personal data as digital identity and service integration increases. \p Feryal Clark: The Government plans to introduce digital versions of existing government-issued documents through the GOV.UK Wallet, a secure digital service for storing government-issued credentials on users’ smartphones. By design, Government will not be keeping a record of where credentials are used.

GOV.UK One Login allows citizens to safely and securely prove their identity to access government services online. Privacy is at the core of its design; it is compliant with UK data protection and privacy laws.

In addition, measures on digital verification services (‘DVS’) in the Data (Use and Access) Act create a legislative structure of standards (the UK digital identity and attributes trust framework), governance and oversight for DVS that wish to appear on a government register, so that people will know what a good digital identity looks like.

The trust framework includes rules on privacy, data protection, and fraud management, building on existing industry standards and legislation where appropriate, to ensure user needs are put first.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions he has had with private sector technology providers on the (a) development and (b) scaling of (i) the GOV.UK application and (ii) supporting infrastructure. \p Feryal Clark: The GOV.UK app has been developed in-house by a multi-disciplinary Government Digital Service (GDS) led team. We are committed to iterative development and improvements, and to working in the open - a core part of the GDS culture. We're actively learning, improving, and expanding what the app can do.

The government remains committed to collaborating with industry experts to ensure that digital services are secure, efficient, and able to meet the evolving needs of users across the UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department plans to partner with technology SMEs to deliver components of the Government's digital strategy. \p Feryal Clark: The Government is committed to partnering with technology SMEs to deliver components of the Government’s digital strategy.

To support this, the Digital Commercial Centre of Excellence in Government Digital Service is working closely with trade bodies that represent SME’s to ensure that the SME’s get regular opportunities to engage with officials and gain a detailed understanding of the digital strategy and how the SME community can help.

These communities will be able to provide insights and provide feedback to GDS, noting that any commercial engagements will need to follow procurement regulations.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what plans his Department has to (a) reduce duplication in digital services and (b) consolidate departmental platforms. \p Feryal Clark: The Government is committed to delivering more joined up public services, reducing duplication, and developing modern digital public infrastructure that will make public organisations more integrated. Thousands of teams across the public sector are already using our world-leading digital components such as GOV.UK Notify, Pay and Design System.

The Government will establish a ‘once only’ rule, so that if people have provided information to one service, it can be reused by others with appropriate safeguards. It will start with central government services and commonly reused data, but be designed to scale over time to the broader public sector and more information.

The Government has also committed to introducing a Digital Backbone: the integration, orchestration and instrumentation technology needed to share capabilities and build true end-to-end journeys.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to his Department's Blueprint for Modern Digital Government, published on 21 January 2025, what plans he has to increase secure data sharing between departments and public bodies. \p Feryal Clark: GDS is leading work to improve the way we share, govern and use data across government and the wider public sector. Strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure is one of six priorities identified in the Blueprint for Modern Digital Government.

This includes developing guidance, standards and tools for fast and secure data exchange, such as a mandate for the publication of a standard set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) by public sector organisations, and the creation of a National Data Library to manage public sector data as a national strategic resource.

We are also driving forward use of the data sharing provisions of the Digital Economy Act 2017 to target and improve public services to citizens as well as addressing barriers to data sharing more widely.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_66

Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department plans to pilot new (a) digital service models and (b) GOV.UK application functionality with local authorities prior to national rollout. \p Feryal Clark: The GOV.UK app, which launched into public beta on 1 July 2025, embodies our vision of a government that provides a personalised and proactive experience which meets people where they are, bringing together access to central and local services into one secure place. The app’s local authority feature will allow you to input any UK postcode and add a shortcut to the relevant local council on your app home screen, including local councils in devolved nations. This content will develop over time.

Officials continue to work closely with teams across government departments and local authorities to ensure joined up user journeys and consistent experiences across platforms.
wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_67
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_67

Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to develop safeguards to ensure algorithmic transparency in AI tools deployed by public sector bodies. \p Feryal Clark: The Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS) offers a standardised method for public sector bodies to publish information on their use of algorithmic tools. Its use is mandatory for all government departments and for Arms Length Bodies providing public or frontline services, or directly engaging with the public. The ATRS applies to algorithmic tools which significantly influence public decision-making or directly interact with the general public. It is also recommended for algorithmic tools and public authorities outside this mandatory scope. Over 70 records have been published, ensuring safeguards for various algorithmic tool uses across government and the wider public sector.
wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_68
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_68

Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to his Department's Blueprint for Modern Digital Government, published on 21 January 2025, what steps his Department is taking with the Government Digital Service to provide (a) funding, (b) specialist advice and (c) digital tools to support local authorities with implementation. \p Feryal Clark: The Blueprint for Modern Digital Government set out the government’s vision for digital services across the whole of the public sector. Earlier this year, the Government Digital Service ran a sprint looking at how GDS should work with and support local authorities to achieve this vision.

The sprint found the challenges that local authorities face in data sharing and the IT market and considered how GDS products, services and capabilities could support local government.

Following the sprint, GDS is establishing a programme of collaboration with local government to support local transformation.
wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_69
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_69

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has plans to expand regional tech clusters in the North West of England; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of locating new innovation hubs in Fylde constituency. \p Feryal Clark: My department is committed to enabling innovation-led growth throughout the UK.

UKRI invested £903 million in the North West in 2023-24. Funded activity in the region includes the £4.9 million, Lancaster University-led Cyber Focus project, and a project by Lytham-based Helical Technology to improve fault detection on mechanical assembly production lines.

Our new Local Innovation Partnership Fund will grow high potential clusters across the UK. It earmarks at least £30 million for each of the two Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities in the North West. All other places in the region will be eligible to bid into the competition.
wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_70
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_70

Warinder Juss:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when he plans to respond to correspondence from the hon. Member for Wolverhampton West dated 1 May 2025 on a constituent's concerns with auditors. \p Feryal Clark: The Department apologies for the delay in our response on this occasion. Our response was issued on 4th July 2025.
wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_71
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_71

Gareth Bacon:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of applying VAT to private hire journeys outside London on the private hire industry. \p James Murray: Private hire vehicle services provided by VAT-registered businesses are, and always have been, subject to VAT. The Government continues to take the issue of VAT treatment of private hire vehicle services seriously and recognises the importance of clarity to the sector. It is right, however, that decisions on tax policy are taken at fiscal events in the context of overall public finances. The Government will therefore publish a response to the consultation soon.
wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_72
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_72

Ms Stella Creasy:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people were issued with a late filing penalty for non return of a self assessment form in each constituency in each of the last five years; and how many and what proportion of those people did not owe any tax. \p James Murray: The information requested can only be provided at a disproportionate cost.
wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_73
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_73

Charlotte Cane:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Act on small high-street businesses. \p James Murray: The Non-Domestic Rating (Private Schools and Multipliers) Act gained Royal Assent on 3 April, giving the Government powers to introduce the new multipliers announced at Autumn Budget 2024, and removing charitable rate relief for private schools.

The new multipliers include permanently lower tax rates for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) properties with Rateable Values below £500,000 from 2026-27.

This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and so we intend to introduce a higher rate on the most valuable properties on 2026/27 – those with Rateable Values (RVs) of £500,000 and above. These represent less than one per cent of all properties, but cover the majority of large distribution warehouses, including those used by online giants.

The rates for these new business rate multipliers will be set at Budget 2025 so that the Government can take into account the upcoming revaluation outcomes as well as the economic and fiscal context. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the expected effects of the new multiplier arrangements.
wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_74
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_74

Euan Stainbank:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has collected data on the share of e-bike sales comprising models imported from China. \p James Murray: HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK which includes data on imports of e-bikes. HMRC releases this information monthly, as a National Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics (OTS), which is available via their dedicated website (www.uktradeinfo.com).

From this website, it is possible to build your own data tables based upon bespoke search criteria. HMRC does not hold information on what percentage of sales in the UK are made up of e-bikes that were imported from China.

Classification codes (according to the Harmonised System) are available to assist you in accessing published trade statistics data in the UK Global Tariff. Goods moving to and from the UK are identified by commodity codes. These are publicly available from the UK Trade Tariff at https://www.gov.uk/trade-tariff. E-bikes are most likely classified within commodity codes 87116010 and 87116090.

If you need help or support in constructing a table from the data on uktradeinfo, please contact xxx@xxx.xx.
wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_75
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_75

Aphra Brandreth:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a clawback scheme in relation to inheritance tax reliefs previously applied to (a) agricultural and (b) business assets, in the context of her Department's planned changes to inheritance tax policy. \p James Murray: I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given to UIN 32918.
wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_76
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_76

Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of trends in levels of charges incurred at ports due to customs procedures on small businesses. \p James Murray: HMRC and Border Force do not typically charge for any customs related processes or checks carried out at ports, and any costs levied at ports are a commercial matter for port operators. HMRC is committed to making customs processes as simple as possible while ensuring effective checks are in place at the border and to reducing trader burden related to complying with customs obligations.
wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_77
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-14 conversation_77

Andrew Griffith:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when she plans to publish Ministerial transparency data on hospitality in the fourth quarter of 2024. \p James Murray: Transparency data on hospitality received by HM Treasury Ministers can be found on gov.uk here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/register-of-ministers-gifts-and-hospitality