Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Digital Exclusion

28 February 2024 · 17 other contributors · 10,122 words

Opened by Justin Madders Lab Ellesmere Port and Bromborough

Responding minister: Saqib Bhatti

EconomyEmploymentScience & Technology

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Justin Madders raised concerns about digital exclusion in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • The speaker is concerned about the impact of digital exclusion on individuals aged 65 and over, noting that 2.7 million people in this age group do not use the internet.
  • The MP highlights challenges faced by older adults in basic tasks such as turning on devices and logging in, as well as difficulties in accessing banking services and paying for car parking due to reliance on digital methods.
  • The speaker calls on the Government to provide support to local authorities to ensure offline service accessibility and questions the need for a new digital inclusion strategy given the outdated nature of current guidelines.

Key requests to Government

The speaker calls upon the Government to provide practical and financial support to local authorities to promote best practice in ensuring offline service accessibility. He questions whether a new digital inclusion strategy is needed given the outdated nature of existing guidelines and asks for updates on the Government's considerations in this regard.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Justin Madders Lab Ellesmere Port and Bromborough

The speaker is concerned about the impact of digital exclusion on individuals who lack the necessary skills, confidence, or access to technology. He cites a survey by Age UK which found that 2.7 million people over the age of 65 do not use the internet and highlights specific challenges faced by this demographic in tasks such as turning on devices and logging in. The MP also points out difficulties in accessing banking services and paying for car parking due to reliance on digital methods, affecting individuals who lack smartphones or cannot download apps easily.

Other contributors (17)
  • Andrew Slaughter Lab Hammersmith and Chiswick

    Congratulates Jamie Stone for raising the issue of digital exclusion which is often about rationing basic services such as legal aid and GP access, impacting 2 million people in north-west London.

  • Angus MacNeil

    Agrees that digital exclusion touches many daily lives. Calls for strategies to enable digital inclusion beyond those traditionally considered digitally excluded.

  • Chris Evans Lab Co-op Caerphilly

    Chris Evans highlighted that digital exclusion is real, affecting those in work, education, and accessing online services. He mentioned that 7% of UK households do not have an internet connection at home, rising to 23% for households earning less than £10,400 annually. Evans stressed the importance of ensuring everyone has the necessary digital skills and access, noting challenges like insufficient broadband in rural areas and accessibility issues for people with disabilities.

  • Derek Thomas Con St Ives

    Asked for assurances regarding communication during power outages post-phone switchover. Requested further Government services to be offered through post offices to address digital exclusion. Inquired about inter-ministerial work on loneliness, isolation and exclusion.

  • Duncan Baker

    Asked the Minister to address BT's plans for switching from analogue to fibre lines, highlighting potential issues in constituencies with frequent power cuts and poor mobile signal.

  • Ian Byrne Lab Liverpool West Derby

    Charities and trade unions warn that essential digital services are becoming inaccessible for many. According to a survey by Citizens Advice, over one million people disconnected their broadband last year due to unaffordability, with those on universal credit being more than six times as likely to be disconnected. Age UK reports that 6 million elderly individuals either cannot use the internet safely or at all.

  • Jamie Stone Lib Dem Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross

    Many constituents cannot work the system due to digital exclusion, missing out on vital NHS appointments. He suggests a back-up offline system with human assistance.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Highlighted issues of digital exclusion affecting businesses and elderly individuals, citing specific cases where broadband provision is lacking. Raised concerns about forced online banking due to bank branch closures in rural areas and the lack of access to broadband and community hubs for the elderly.

  • Kirsty Blackman SNP Aberdeen North

    Ms Blackman highlighted the importance of digital skills, noting that by 2030, 5 million workers will be acutely under-skilled in basic digital skills. She emphasised the intersectionality issues affecting those who are older, more vulnerable, or in poverty, and mentioned the Scottish Government's provision of 72,000 devices and internet connections during the pandemic to mitigate digital exclusion.

  • Maggie Throup

    Provides an example of Erewash Borough Council's digital exclusion policy, which offers a discounted rate only available online, affecting financially disadvantaged residents.

  • Richard Foord Lib Dem Honiton and Sidmouth

    Noted that digital exclusion affects more than just older people, also impacting younger individuals with less digital literacy. He gave an example of a constituent living in Weston, a small coastal hamlet, who is completely dependent on landlines due to poor mobile phone signal and internet access.

  • Robin Walker

    Acknowledged digital exclusion impacts young people as well, especially during the pandemic when education shifted online. Noted improvements in his constituency but cautioned about excessive screen time impacting mental health. Emphasized the need to support offline services for those needing public services.

  • Sarah Dines

    She highlighted that digital exclusion disproportionately affects elderly and disadvantaged individuals, citing a Lloyds Bank report from 2021 which stated that up to 10 million people lack basic digital skills. She mentioned poor connectivity in Derbyshire Dales due to geographic challenges.

  • Sarah Dyke Lib Dem Glastonbury and Somerton

    She discussed the limitations of broadband and mobile connectivity in rural areas like Somerset, where only around 40% of houses have full fibre broadband. She cited a constituent's download speed of 6 megabits per second compared to the shared rural network's estimated average of 7 megabits per second for rural areas. Sarah Dyke requested an intervention from the Minister regarding digital exclusion issues.

  • Selaine Saxby Con North Devon

    Emphasised the importance of digital skills education alongside broadband rollouts. She highlighted a constituent's concern about the lack of phone apps for Government agencies, stressing the need to include everyone in digital advancements. Selaine Saxby expressed envy towards high levels of connectivity enjoyed by some MPs and raised concerns about Project Gigabit type C contracts. She noted the closure of voucher schemes and asked the Minister to speed up procurement processes to reach at least 99% connectivity.

  • Therese Coffey

    She acknowledged the importance of digital by default while emphasizing the need for offline options for government services. She also discussed her personal experience helping her mother set up an email address and commended the Department for Work and Pensions' efforts during the pandemic to keep jobcentres open.

  • Tim Farron Lib Dem Westmorland and Lonsdale

    Focused on rural connectivity issues, expressing concerns over Project Gigabit not covering all communities and deferred scope areas. Advocated for restoring the broadband voucher scheme to connect isolated properties with gigabit speed. Raised worries about Digital Voice during emergencies like Storm Arwen.

Government Response

Saqib Bhatti

I thank you for your excellent chairmanship, Mrs Harris, of this over-subscribed debate on an important topic. I thank the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Justin Madders) for securing the debate. Digital technologies offer extraordinary opportunities; if we take full advantage of them, we can grow our economy, create new jobs and improve lives for British people right across the country. They can also connect communities, reduce loneliness, and make public services easier to access. Right now, however, too many people are digitally excluded, leading to worse health outcomes and lower quality of life. Digital exclusion exacerbates existing inequalities, making it difficult to participate fully in society. The Government remains committed to ensuring no one is left behind as we invest in technologies like AI and quantum computing. To address digital exclusion, the 2022 digital strategy includes accelerating gigabit broadband roll-out through Project Gigabit, which has connected over 1 million premises across the UK. In Meriden and Solihull East alone, over 99% of premises can access superfast connections while 93% have gigabit-capable connectivity. We also introduced the broadband universal service obligation (USO) in 2020 to ensure everyone has a legal right to request an affordable connection. We are reviewing this USO and expect to publish our response later this year. The Government supports access through social tariffs, free public wi-fi, devices for disadvantaged children, and Jobcentre Plus work coaches. On skills development, the Department for Education supports adults with low digital skills through the digital entitlement programme, providing over 40,000 learners with essential digital skills qualifications since its introduction in 2020. We have also launched initiatives to inspire young people and support workers developing advanced digital skills. To improve online safety, we introduced the Online Safety Act 2023, ensuring technology companies take responsibility for user safety, particularly children's protection from fraud and scams. Regarding financial services, the Government legislated through the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 to protect access to cash. The FCA consults on proposals to finalise rules in the second half of the year, while alternative banking options include Post Office branches and banking hubs for everyday banking services. Local authorities can allocate funding from the UK shared prosperity fund to digital inclusion interventions tailored to local needs. We are addressing issues around PSTN migration with telecom providers committing to concrete measures protecting vulnerable households during the transition expected by 2025. The cross-Whitehall ministerial group on digital inclusion meets regularly to discuss policy decisions considering people who are digitally excluded, including website accessibility and device donation schemes. In conclusion, we have made credible steps towards tackling digital exclusion. We will continue to work across Government with industry and third-sector partners to deliver a better digital future for communities all over the country.

▸ Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy