Access to Digital Services: North-east

12 Feb

Question

The question session addressed the critical issue of enhancing digital services for small businesses in the north-east and across the UK. It involved detailed discussions on digital accessibility, infrastructure, connectivity, and the broader adoption of AI. Key themes included the accessibility of government services in line with global standards, initiatives for nationwide gigabit connectivity, and the barriers faced by SMEs in adopting AI technologies. Methods to ensure an inclusive digital environment through updated service standards were also discussed. Questions from MPs pressed the government for concrete plans and immediate solutions rather than future commitments.

Significant Contributions:

Accessibility and Inclusion: Feryal Clark emphasized reviewing Government service standards to incorporate wider inclusivity in digital platforms.
Infrastructure Commitments: Clark highlighted the government's aim for full gigabit coverage by 2030, reassuring that ongoing issues can be addressed with direct government intervention.
Immediate Challenges: Jess Brown-Fuller raised practical barriers in internet provision for local businesses, highlighting the urgency for current connectivity solutions instead of future targets.
AI Adoption: Victoria Collins brought attention to the low adoption rate of AI among SMEs and urged for a detailed strategy covering education and technological support.

94%

Percentage of premises in Cramlington and Killingworth currently having access to gigabit broadband.

New Information or Commitments:

A commitment to revising the service standards for digital accessibility.
Assurance for nationwide gigabit connectivity targeted for 2030, with more than 94% current coverage in some areas.
Mention of an AI opportunities action plan fostering AI integration in SMEs.

15%

Current percentage of UK SMEs using AI technology compared to higher uptake rates in countries like Denmark and Finland.

Outcome

Overall, the session reinforced government commitments and pinpointed ongoing efforts and challenges surrounding digital services for businesses. While initiatives for long-term digital infrastructure are in place, the immediate hurdles such as connectivity require focused action and transparent communication from the government. The session concluded with promises of further meetings to discuss unresolved issues.

Key Contributions

Emma Foody

Labour

Raised concerns about digital infrastructure for small businesses hindering growth in the north-east.

Feryal Clark

Highlighted government's revisions to digital service standards for greater accessibility and inclusivity.

Jess Brown-Fuller

Liberal Democrats

Highlighted urgent connectivity issues faced by businesses in Chichester due to Openreach limitations.

Mr Speaker

Commented to ensure the discussion remained focused on the north-east subject.

Victoria Collins

Liberal Democrats

Questioned the low AI adoption rate among UK SMEs compared to international peers.

Original Transcript

Emma Foody

Cramlington and Killingworth

Lab/Co-op

Question

UIN: 902717

4. What steps his Department is taking to make digital services easier to access for small businesses in the north-east.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology

Feryal Clark

No one anywhere in the UK should have difficulty using Government services, and the Government are committed to ensuring that our online and digital services are as accessible as possible.

There are globally recognised standards for digital accessibility, but they are only part of the design of an inclusive service, which is why we will be revising the Government service standards to incorporate requirements covering wider issues of inclusion and looking at extending their scope into the wider public sector.

Emma Foody

Recently, I attended a roundtable of small businesses in the north-east, held at Sage, and a key theme was the need for good connections and digital services to help their businesses to grow. Digital connectivity is of course critical, but this often holds people back.

What are the Government doing to ensure that digital infrastructure is strong enough to support local businesses in constituencies such as mine?

Feryal Clark

It is right that not only do we need to have good online access to services, but businesses need to be able to connect to those services, and that is why the Government are committed to delivering nationwide gigabit connectivity coverage by 2030.

I am glad to say that over 94% of premises in her constituency can access gigabit broadband, including the businesses that she refers to, but I am of course happy to meet her to talk about what more we can do in this important area.

Jess Brown-Fuller

Chichester

The Sussex Bookshop is a new bookshop that opened in Chichester city centre in December; it is now February and it is unable to connect to any sort of internet provision, because Openreach is reporting that there are no extra connections for the whole city centre.

Does the Minister agree that reliable internet access is essential, especially for small businesses that have to operate both on the high street and on an online platform? What steps is she taking to ensure that those businesses have access now, not in 2030?

Mr Speaker

11:44

I think that is linked to the north-east. That is the subject.

Feryal Clark

I absolutely agree with the hon. Member. Businesses across the country should be able to connect, especially in this day and age. If the business in her constituency continues to experience problems, my hon.

Friend the Minister for Data Protection and Telecoms will be happy to meet her to discuss this issue further.

Mr Speaker

11:44

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

Victoria Collins

Harpenden and Berkhamsted

11:44

Digital services for small businesses are important across the country—north-east, south-east or wherever you are, Mr Speaker. The latest data shows, however, that only around 15% of UK small and medium-sized enterprises use AI, which is well behind other countries, such as Denmark and Finland.

Will the Minister commit to publishing a detailed adoption road map that covers, for example, essential upskilling, data centre capacity and tech vouchers, so that small businesses can deploy AI without being locked out by cost and complexity?

Feryal Clark

The hon. Member will have seen the AI opportunities action plan, which sets out our aspiration for this country, including the opportunities for small businesses. The fusion of AI across the economy is top of the agenda. In the coming months, she will see more activity on how we will do that.

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