Ministerial Group for Digital Inclusion meeting summaries: 14 May 2025
Published 24 April 2026
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Meeting attendees:
Ministers
- Sir Chris Bryant MP, Minister of State for Digital Protection and Telecoms, DSIT
- Karin Smyth MP, Minister of State for Health (Secondary Care), DHSC
- Andrew Western MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Transformation), DWP
Officials:
- Jenny Hall, Director, Data and the Digital Economy, DSIT
- Rebecca Stephens, Deputy Director, Digital Inclusion, DSIT
- Jane Belfourd, Director, Technical Qualifications and Essential Skills, DFE
- Hulya Mustafa, Director, Digital Policies and Programmes, DHSC
- Tom Smith, Director, AI and Advanced Analytics, MHCLG
- Tammy Fevrier, Deputy Director, Sector, Skills, Place and Progression, DWP
- Relevant Private Secretaries and Secretariat Officials
Summary
Minister Bryant welcomed the formation of the Digital Inclusion Ministerial Group which aims to coordinate Departments’ work on digital inclusion across government. He stated that digital inclusion is fundamental to the prime minister’s priority of delivering modern and efficient public services. The Digital Inclusion Action Plan’s successful publication [on 26 February 2025] was noted and the plan for a Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund was discussed.
Ministers noted the relevance of digital inclusion for delivering the Get Britain Working White Paper and 10 Year Health Plan respectively, and it was also noted that digital inclusion should be considered as part of local government reorganisation. Further, the importance of improving the accessibility of Government Digital Public Services was discussed, including overcoming barriers in key services alongside the digitisation of government services.
Ministers agreed development and application of data and evidence was critical and to take stock of the how to improve the evidence base. Ministers also discussed the importance of having clear quality definitions and standards for Essential Digital Skills.