Every parliamentary written question tabled by Mike Wood this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 41–60 of 72 · Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Innovation and Technology, what the salary is of the Director General for Digital Centre Design.
The salary of the Director General for Digital Centre Design is published in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s transparency data, which is available on data.gov.uk. The published salary range for this role is £150,000 to £154,999. This information is part of the Department’s regular transparency reporting and is publicly accessible.
Innovation and Technology, whether the Director General for Digital Centre Design has been involved in procurement decisions in her role as a member of the programme board for Test, Learn and Grow.
Emily Middleton has had no involvement in procurement decisions related to the Cabinet Office Test Learn and Grow Programme. Ms Middleton was invited to join the programme board in February 2025, alongside representatives of other departments. This was in her capacity as Director General for Digital Centre Design. Ms Middleton has not attended any of the board meetings, and has delegated attendance to other officials within DSIT.
Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2025 to Question 84243 on DSIT: Disinformation, and to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 25857 on Written Questions: Government Responses, if he will provide relevant hyperlinks to the specific contracts with third-party providers.
Details of contracts between DSIT and third-party contractors used to address online information threats are available on GOV.UK:Contract OneContract TwoContract ThreeContract Four
Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question HL5508 on Research: Finance, if she will make it her policy to stop the inclusion of equality, diversity and inclusion targets in publicly-funded research.
Government recognises the important role of a positive research environment in attracting and retaining diverse talent essential for maintaining the UK’s global competitiveness in research. Research funders have legal duties under the Equality Act 2010 and public sector funders must also have due regard for the Public Sector Equality Duty to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations. Government is committed to ensuring inclusive participation in publicly funded research while continuing to foster the UK’s reputation for research excellence.
Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2025 to Question 50225 on Government Digital Service: Gender and Sex, if he will ensure that sex is used in updated Government Digital Service Design guidance.
Following the Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers earlier this year, GDS will review the GOV.UK Design System’s guidance in line with changes, once agreed, to the Codes of Practice issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
Innovation and Technology, what is his Department’s definition of disinformation is.
The UK government defines disinformation as the deliberate creation and spreading of false and/or manipulated information that is intended to deceive and mislead people, either for the purposes of causing harm, or for political, personal or financial gain. Misinformation is the inadvertent spread of false information.
Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2025 to Question 50225 on Government Digital Service: Gender and Sex, whether any (a) diversity staff network and (b) external organisation advised the Government Digital Service on the Design System Guidance.
No diversity staff networks advised GDS in developing the Design System guidance. GOV.UK Design System guidance has been iterated with input from specialists external to the Government Digital Service, including the Government Statistical Service and the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Innovation and Technology, how many different (a) iOS and (b) Android apps are run by government departments.
There is currently no central register of apps across government.
Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 30 May 2025 to Question 52904 on Electronic Government, if she will publish the Data Protection Impact Assessment produced for the One Login programme.
We have an obligation to let citizens know how we are processing their data, which we do via a privacy notice published on GOV.UK. We continually develop our Data Protection Impact Assessment to take into account the new identity verification journeys, such as the no photo ID route. We are preparing an easily digestible version of our Data Protection Impact Assessment for publication, which will be made available in due course.
Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2025 to Question 81183 on Electronic Government: Logos, what was the total cost to (a) Cabinet Office and (b)DSIT of the redesign.
Three contracts were awarded with external agencies to support the redesign of the GOV.UK brand, in December 2023, March 2024 and July 2024. Expenditure under these contracts totalled £532,000. Of this, £421,750 was paid by Cabinet Office and £110,250 was paid by DSIT.Out of the total, £219,620 was spent between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024.The refreshed GOV.UK brand comprises designs, guidance and components that underpin the whole GOV.UK product suite – including the GOV.UK website, GOV.UK App, GOV.UK One Login and GOV.UK social media channels – which enable a modern, coherent and accessible user experience that appeals to the broadest possible audience.
Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press release entitled UK space sector bolstered with government reforms to boost growth and cut red tape, published on 20 August 2025, what the estimated annual savings are from the merger of the UK Space Agency into her Department; and whether there are any planned redundancies.
Work is underway to design the new unit. This will include exploring the extent to which the merger will enable the unit to go further than the 5.6% DSIT-wide efficiencies by 2028/29 target. Designing a more efficient organisation will reduce running costs and remove duplication ensuring even more of the funding allocated to civil space can reach the sector while also protecting staff in both organisations where possible. There are currently no planned redundancies.
Innovation and Technology, whether the Information Commissioner has issued guidance on the amount of time that a Freedom of Information request applicant should wait following a decision notice before (a) seeking an internal review from a public authority and (b) making an appeal to the Information Commissioner.
Whilst DSIT sponsors the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), government policy for Freedom of Information (FOI) sits with the Cabinet Office. The ICO has not issued specific guidance for applicants on how long to wait after a decision notice before seeking an internal review or making an appeal. Under the FOI Act, internal reviews are not statutory, and authorities set their own timelines. The Code of Practice on FOI issued by the Cabinet Office states that it is usual practice for public authorities to accept a request for an internal review within 40 working days. The ICO advises applicants to complain to the ICO within three months of the final response or last substantive contact with the public authority, or risk ineligibility.
Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2025 to Question 82329 on Department for Business and Trade: Mr Money Jar, whether his Department has paid Mr Money Jar for social influence or digital work since 4 July 2024.
The department has not paid Mr MoneyJar (Rotimi Merriman-Johnson) for any social media content since 4 July 2024.
Innovation and Technology, what data sources have been used to train the Parlex AI tool on forecasting parliamentary reactions; and whether a data privacy impact assessment has been produced.
The Parlex tool has not been trained as a new AI model, nor does it involve the development of a novel forecasting system. Instead, it is a search and analysis tool that enables users to research existing parliamentary records to support policy development and parliamentary handling.Parlex uses only publicly available parliamentary data, including Hansard transcripts, Parliamentary Questions, and Select Committee materials. All tools developed by the Incubator for AI, including Parlex, are assured in line with government guidelines, which include data protection assessments.
Innovation and Technology, what is the statutory basis of the work of the National Security and Online Information Team.
The National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT) leads the department’s operational response to information threats which present a public safety or national security risk to UK audiences, working closely with other departments including the Home Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.The team's remit and work is kept under review by DSIT ministers who remain accountable to parliament, including regarding the work of the NSOIT.
Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with Ofcom on the use of third-party providers to (a) assess, (b) index and (c) identify disinformation.
DSIT’s National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT) leads the operational response to information threats, including disinformation, capable of posing a risk to UK public safety and national security. Information on contracts awarded by the department to third-party contractors to support this activity is available on GOV.UK.Details about Ministerial meetings are published quarterly on GOV.UK.
Innovation and Technology, whether his Department uses third-party providers to (a) assess, (b) index and (c) identify disinformation.
DSIT’s National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT) leads the operational response to information threats, including disinformation, capable of posing a risk to UK public safety and national security. Information on contracts awarded by the department to third-party contractors to support this activity is available on GOV.UK.Details about Ministerial meetings are published quarterly on GOV.UK.
Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of (a) the cyber-security of services provided to the Government by Global Switch, (b) the potential implications of its Chinese ownership for national security and (c) the decision of the Australian Government to stop using the company.
We do not comment on specific national security cases or specific companies.Ensuring the security of UK data is a priority for the government. When the government procures any service, cybersecurity is a paramount requirement. Government departments conduct thorough cybersecurity checks on all suppliers before sharing data and continuously monitor their compliance with these requirements throughout the contract's duration. If there is evidence of threats to our data, including in relation to data centres, we will not hesitate to take the necessary action to protect our national security.We have taken decisive action to monitor, and mitigate, potential future threats to data centres. Last year this Government designated data centres as Critical National Infrastructure, putting them on a level footing with emergency services systems. We work closely with industry to understand risks and manage threats to the UK’s infrastructure.We do not comment on the security decisions of other governments.
Innovation and Technology, with reference to the ContractFinder entry entitled Disinformation Analysis Software awarded to Storyzy, award date 1 July 2025, for what reasons does her Department use this software.
DSIT leads the operational response to information threats by analysing narratives and trends from publicly available information online, within its ministerially defined remit - public safety or national security risk to the UK.This does not include the monitoring of individuals.
Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has had discussions with (a) Larry Ellison and (b) Oracle on Digital ID Cards.
We are not talking to Larry Ellison or Oracle about digital ID.Throughout the development of the new digital ID, the Government will work closely with expert stakeholders, including civil society groups, technology companies and industry bodies to make it as effective and inclusive as possible.The Digital ID will be designed, built and run by government digital teams. Any additional specialist external services that may be needed to support delivery will be subject to the usual competitive processes.