Written questions by Wrigley.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the outage of Amazon Web Services in October 2025 on Government web services.

I refer the hon. Member for Newton Abbot to the answer given on 27 October 2025 to Question 83776.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the outage of Amazon Web Services in October 2025 on the technology sector.

DSIT has communicated with AWS extensively throughout and in the immediate aftermath of the outage, to understand the situation and to ensure recovery was underway. All services have since been restored and we remain in regular contact with AWS.We continue to work across government and with businesses to understand the full impact of the outage, identify lessons, and look at how we can mitigate impacts and ensure resilience in future.The forthcoming Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will protect the services the public rely on to go about their normal lives. This will include expanding the scope of the regulations to include more types of essential and digital services and making sure they adhere to robust cyber security practices.

Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to implement a centralised issuance with decentralised data architecture model for a national digital identity system.

The Government will launch a public consultation on the new digital ID credential by the end of the year, seeking views on the design, build and delivery of the system.We will work closely with expert stakeholders, including the Information Commissioner’s Office and the National Cyber Security Centre, to make the programme as effective and secure as possible. Our approach will involve a federated data model, to ensure privacy and security.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on sovereign AI capability through public sector procurement contracts since 10 September 2025.

Ministers and officials regularly meet with their counterparts in other departments to discuss important matters, such as sovereign AI capability and procurement policy The Digital Commercial Centre of Excellence, established earlier this year following the publication by DSIT of ‘A blueprint for modern digital government’, plays an important role in shaping best practice in relation to technology procurement policy.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2025 to Question 76118 on Digital Technology: Older People, what recent steps her Department has taken to help tackle the impact of digital exclusion on elderly people.

Tackling digital exclusion, which disproportionately impacts certain demographics including older people, is a priority for Government.That is why we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan which outlines the first five actions we are taking over the next year on digital inclusion. One of these actions was to launch the £9.5mn Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to support and expand local community initiatives to get people online, which we did in August. All funded projects will support at least one of the focus demographic groups, which includes older people. Applications will be notified of the outcome in late October, as outlined in the key dates section of the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund - GOV.UK.

Innovation and Technology, what potential providers in the private sector her Department has had discussions with on the GOV.UK Wallet policy.

Since the announcement of the GOV.UK Wallet in January, DSIT has met with providers of digital identity services on multiple occasions. This included events on 14th May and 29th July, the first of which was attended by over 60 representatives from the sector and follow up meetings with individual companies who requested it to discuss technical elements of the GOV.UK Wallet development.The GOV.UK Wallet is being designed, built and run in-house whilst ​​maintaining​​ a key role for the private sector​, which will provide the data flow between the information in the GOV.UK Wallet, and the organisation (such as a retailer) who needs to check information about the user. Any additional specialist external services may be needed to support delivery and will be subject to the usual competitive processes.

Innovation and Technology, what estimate she has made of the number of people who are considered digitally excluded in (a) the South West and (b) the UK.

We know that digital exclusion is a complex issue and the evidence base is significant but fragmented. Ofcom data from 2025 reports that 5% of households in the UK do not have access to the internet and that, in the South West of England, 7% of the population do not use the internet. That is why we launched the Digital Inclusion Action Plan in February of this year, which sets out the first five actions we are taking to boost digital inclusion in every corner of the UK, including the South West of England.One of these actions was to develop robust headline indicators to monitor progress and inform future digital inclusion interventions. We will evaluate the outcomes of these actions as our understanding of best practice evolves.

Innovation and Technology, what definition of digital inclusion her Department uses for monitoring progress against the Digital Inclusion Action Plan.

We know that digital exclusion is a complex issue and the evidence base is significant but fragmented. Ofcom data from 2025 reports that 5% of households in the UK do not have access to the internet and that, in the South West of England, 7% of the population do not use the internet. That is why we launched the Digital Inclusion Action Plan in February of this year, which sets out the first five actions we are taking to boost digital inclusion in every corner of the UK, including the South West of England.One of these actions was to develop robust headline indicators to monitor progress and inform future digital inclusion interventions. We will evaluate the outcomes of these actions as our understanding of best practice evolves.

Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has had discussions with (a) Apple, (b) Google and (c) other technology companies on delivering digital identity schemes.

The Government will start a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year and has naturally begun engaging with key stakeholders, including charities, trade unions, trade bodies and associations, businesses and local government leaders already. We will continue to engage through the consultation period and beyond to support product delivery. We expect it to be designed, built and run by in-house Government teams, not outsourced to external suppliers. In the event any specialist external services or expertise are procured to support the delivery of new digital ID, this will be subject to all the usual competitive processes to ensure transparency, and value for the taxpayer. The Government is also keen to learn from other countries that implemented successful digital ID programmes. The Rt Hon Pat McFadden travelled to Estonia in August to understand more about the Estonian digital ID system.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2025 to Question 63915 on Digital Technology: Proof of Identity, what discussions the government has had with private sector bodies regarding digital ID venders.

The Government will start a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year and has naturally begun engaging with key stakeholders, including charities, trade unions, trade bodies and associations, businesses and local government leaders already. We will continue to engage through the consultation period and beyond to support product delivery. We expect it to be designed, built and run by in-house Government teams, not outsourced to external suppliers. In the event any specialist external services or expertise are procured to support the delivery of new digital ID, this will be subject to all the usual competitive processes to ensure transparency, and value for the taxpayer. The Government is also keen to learn from other countries that implemented successful digital ID programmes. The Rt Hon Pat McFadden travelled to Estonia in August to understand more about the Estonian digital ID system.

Innovation and Technology, which organisations her Department has met with as part of the development of digital identity proposals.

The Government will start a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year and has naturally begun engaging with key stakeholders, including charities, trade unions, trade bodies and associations, businesses and local government leaders already. We will continue to engage through the consultation period and beyond to support product delivery. We expect it to be designed, built and run by in-house Government teams, not outsourced to external suppliers. In the event any specialist external services or expertise are procured to support the delivery of new digital ID, this will be subject to all the usual competitive processes to ensure transparency, and value for the taxpayer. The Government is also keen to learn from other countries that implemented successful digital ID programmes. The Rt Hon Pat McFadden travelled to Estonia in August to understand more about the Estonian digital ID system.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2025 to Question 63915 on Digital Technology: Proof of Identity, for what reason the Government has now taken such steps.

The Government has announced plans for a new national digital identity credential to be available to UK citizens and legal residents aged 16 and over. This will make it easier for people to securely access the services they are entitled to, where they want to, while also helping to prevent illegal working and deter illegal migration. Employers will be required to conduct digital right to work checks using the new digital ID by the end of this parliament.We recognise the importance of both cybersecurity and privacy. We will consult and engage on the practical operation of the scheme, and the data structures underpinning it, as it is developed. The data for the digital ID scheme will be federated, as doing so is good practice for things like this. That means most data will stay where it is already safely stored, such as in HM Passport Office or other government departments, and only joined up if and when needed.Following the Machinery of Government changes of 23/10/2025 policy responsibility now sits with the Cabinet Office.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of digital exclusion on (a) elderly and (b) disabled people who do not have a reliable internet connection.

Those who don’t have access to, or cannot use digital technologies, including older people and disabled people, are likely to pay more for certain transactions, have worse health outcomes, and find it more difficult to manage their finances. Knock-on effects of digital exclusion can include difficulty accessing essential services and isolation from their community.That’s why in February, we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan which outlines the first five actions we are taking over the next year on digital inclusion. One of these actions was to launch the £9.5mn Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to support and expand local community initiatives to get people online, which we did in August. All funded projects will support at least one of the focus demographic groups, which include older and disabled people.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of digital exclusion on elderly people.

Those who don’t have access to, or cannot use digital technologies, including older people and disabled people, are likely to pay more for certain transactions, have worse health outcomes, and find it more difficult to manage their finances. Knock-on effects of digital exclusion can include difficulty accessing essential services and isolation from their community.That’s why in February, we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan which outlines the first five actions we are taking over the next year on digital inclusion. One of these actions was to launch the £9.5mn Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to support and expand local community initiatives to get people online, which we did in August. All funded projects will support at least one of the focus demographic groups, which include older and disabled people.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of digital exclusion on disabled people.

Those who don’t have access to, or cannot use digital technologies, including older people and disabled people, are likely to pay more for certain transactions, have worse health outcomes, and find it more difficult to manage their finances. Knock-on effects of digital exclusion can include difficulty accessing essential services and isolation from their community.That’s why in February, we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan which outlines the first five actions we are taking over the next year on digital inclusion. One of these actions was to launch the £9.5mn Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to support and expand local community initiatives to get people online, which we did in August. All funded projects will support at least one of the focus demographic groups, which include older and disabled people.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with business representatives on ensuring that elderly people are not prevented from using businesses that choose to move to digital-only services.

The government does not generally intervene in how businesses choose to conduct their activities or offer their products and services. However, the Government expects all businesses to treat all consumers fairly.Having said that, everyone has a role to play in realising a shared vision for a digitally inclusive UK to ensure everyone, including the elderly, can participate in our modern digital society. That is why we launched the Digital Inclusion Action Plan in February, which sets out the first actions we are taking over the next year to boost digital inclusion.

Innovation and Technology, when she plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Newton Abbot, dated 2 July 2025, on behalf of his constituent L Coombes.

The Department places significant importance on providing timely responses to correspondence. We sincerely apologise for the delay in this instance and assure the Member that a full response will be provided as soon as possible.

Innovation and Technology, what guidance his Department provides to departments using suppliers who operate (a) Foundry, (b) Gotham and (c) other cross-sector data platforms on the risk of cross-domain data use.

All departments must adhere to the UK Data Protection legislation to manage risk and protect personal data when they are using cross-sector data platforms provided by suppliers. All departments are controllers of the personal data they hold and are individually responsible for demonstrating compliance with the data protection principles, and take appropriate technical and organisational mitigations in line with the UK GDPR to reduce risk. Under the same legislation, all departments are required to appoint a data protection officer (DPO), who must be an adequately resourced expert in data protection to assess compliance of data platforms, provide advice regarding Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) to identify and mitigate risks.The Government Digital Service has published the principles for securing personal data in government services, which includes a principle that outlines the actions that departments need to take for best compliance with the data protection legislation when they use platforms provided by third-party suppliers. The actions departments are expected to take include commercial agreements with robust terms and conditions for protection of data, appropriately assigned liabilities, risk assessments, audits, monitoring and oversight of compliance with processing terms and conditions as well as seeking further assurances of compliance from platform suppliers.The Government Security Group and the Government Digital Service have developed the Security by Design Policy, which covers the management of third-party product security risks.Government Digital Marketplace is a resource for departments and the wider public sector organisations to find reliable and secure technology for their digital projects. Departments are provided with guidance that covers features, security arrangements, standards, certifications and compliance information of supplier platforms, which fall under existing government frameworks.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of his Department's white paper entitled A pro-innovation approach to AI regulation, published in March 2023, CP 815, on proprietary models trained on NHS data.

As set out in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, most AI systems should be regulated at the point of use and our expert regulators are best placed to do so. Departments are working proactively with regulators to provide strategic direction and support them on their AI capability needs.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has received recent correspondence from Palantir.

The Secretary of State has received recent correspondence from Palantir and will be responding in due course.