Committee publication · Correspondence · 8 July 2026
Correspondence from Secretary of State, re. Women in Tech Taskforce, 6 July
Summary
Secretary of State Liz Kendall informs the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee of two newly published reports linked to the Women in Tech Taskforce. An Alma Economics report quantifies potential economic gains from removing barriers to underrepresented groups in the digital economy (£16 billion annually). A taskforce Call for Evidence summary, based on 95% female respondents, identifies emerging technology skills gaps, persistent workplace culture issues, and reports of harassment and discrimination as key barriers to women's entry, progression and leadership in tech.
Key findings
- Removing barriers facing underrepresented groups in the digital economy could generate an estimated £16 billion annual economic boost, with women potentially gaining £7,000/year on average.
- 40,000–60,000 women leave the tech sector annually due to non-skills-related barriers, costing the economy £2–3.5 billion yearly.
- 95% of Call for Evidence respondents (predominantly women) report that emerging technologies are changing skills requirements; 73% say this is affecting who applies for and succeeds in tech roles.
- 74% of respondents agree that improving team and organisational culture would support women's entry, progression and leadership in tech.
- Women respondents shared firsthand experiences of misconduct, harassment and discrimination in the sector.
Tone
FactualTopics
Key actors
Liz Kendall MP, Dame Chi Onwurah MP, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), Women in Tech Taskforce, Alma Economics
Notable line
“If women don't work for tech, tech won't work for women. Talent exists everywhere, and opportunity should too.”
Key Quotes
“If women don't work for tech, tech won't work for women. Talent exists everywhere, and opportunity should too.”
“We know from other research that 40-60k women leave the tech sector every year and change jobs due to barriers that should not exist which costs the economy £2-3.5 billion a year.”
“Addressing barriers in the digital economy could generate an estimated £16 billion annual boost.”
“… women shared first hand experiences of misconduct, harassment and discrimination in the sector. These testimonies were not easy to share, and they reinforce the case for change.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗