Question follow-through · 87494

Digital Technology: Disadvantaged

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help tackle digital exclusion in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East and (e) England.

answeredDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology

About this written question

A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.

Answering body
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Tabled
3 Nov 2025
Target answer date
5 Nov 2025
Answer
11 Nov 2025 · 8 calendar days after tabling

Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.

Recorded timeline

  1. 3 Nov 2025

    Question tabled

    To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help tackle digital exclusion in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East and (e) England.

  2. 5 Nov 2025

    Target answer date

    Date supplied by the official written-questions record.

  3. 11 Nov 2025

    Answer published

    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 North East of England, 10% of household...

Open official record

Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.

Later records

Possible follow-up questions

Strong links require the same MP, department and exact heading. Other same-department questions are shown as unreviewed candidates, not as confirmed follow-ups. No debate link is asserted unless a stable source relationship exists.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Mobile Phones: Standards

4 Nov 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps the Department is taking to improve mobile telephone signal in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East and (e) England.

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Internet: Safety

4 Nov 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions his Department has had with stakeholders in the North East on protecting children and young people from harmful content online.

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Shared Rural Network: North East

18 Nov 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what conversations the Department has had with relevant stakeholders in the North East regarding the Shared Rural Network.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Shared Rural Network

18 Nov 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what conversations the Department has had with relevant stakeholders regarding improving connectivity in hard-to-reach areas across the country as part of the Shared Rural Network.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Project Gigabit: Hexham

20 Nov 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress her Department has made on the rollout of Project Gigabit in the Hexham constituency.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Project Gigabit: North East

20 Nov 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress her Department has made on the rollout of Project Gigabit in the North East.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Project Gigabit: Northumberland

20 Nov 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress her Department has made on the rollout of Project Gigabit in Northumberland.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Science and Discovery Centres

20 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, further to the Westminster Hall debate of 14 January 2026 titled ‘impact of Science and Discovery Centres on national science and technology priorities', whether science and discovery c

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Broadband: Rural Areas

20 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to provide reliable broadband service to rural areas that fall into the category of ‘Very Hard to Reach’, and outside of the scope of contracts already awarded

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Innovation: Finance

25 Jun 2026 · ?To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to support locally led innovation investment.