Transparency data

Ministerial Group for Digital Inclusion: terms of reference

Published 24 April 2026

Membership

1. The standing members of the Ministerial Group for Digital Inclusion are:

• Baroness Lloyd of Effra CBE, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Digital Economy, DSIT), Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (DBT), and Baroness in Waiting (Government Whip) - Chair
• The Rt Hon Ian Murray MP, Minister of State (Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts, DCMS) and Minister of State (Minister for Digital Government and Data, DSIT)
• Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Minister for Local Government and Homelessness, MHCLG)
• Lucy Rigby KC MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury (HMT)
• The Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms MP, Minister of State (Minister for Social Security and Disability, DWP), and Minister of State (DfE)
• Dr Zubir Ahmed MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health Innovation and Safety (DHSC)
• The Rt Hon Baroness Smith of Malvern, Minister of State (Minister for Skills) (DWP and DfE), and Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)
• James Frith MP, Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office) and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (DSIT)

2. Other attendees such as Ministers from other departments, government officials and representatives from advisory bodies, such as Baroness Armstrong from the Digital Inclusion Action Committee, may be invited on an ad hoc basis, according to the agenda.

Purpose

3. The purpose of the Ministerial Group is to set strategic direction for the UK government’s approach to digital inclusion and secure agreement on the joint vision, priorities and delivery approaches to ensure progress. It will work to embed digital inclusion into policy design and delivery across the UK government and existing governance structures, and will monitor and evaluate the delivery of key policies across government that contribute to digital inclusion, facilitated through reporting by official-level governance structures.

4. To this end, the Ministerial Group will act as a forum for discussion, consultation and collaboration, bringing together those responsible for the levers across the UK Government which could facilitate systemic, cross-government change.

5. The Group does not have collective decision-making power. Key decisions on digital inclusion and related policy are reserved to respective departments. However, the Group can discuss and agree a cross-government approach and any further (suitable) action to support alignment on digital inclusion goals.

Protocols

6. Meetings will be held quarterly with the option to meet more or less frequently if appropriate.

7. Baroness Lloyd of Effra, Minister for Digital Economy, will chair the meetings of the Ministerial Group. Members will be notified in advance in case of any exceptional circumstances and chairing changes.

8. The Digital Inclusion and Skills Unit in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology will secretariat meetings of the Ministerial Group.

9. The agenda for each meeting will be recommended by the secretariat and agreed by the Chair, covering items such as:

• Long term planning and strategy for the UK government’s work on digital inclusion
• Supporting delivery by identifying goals, barriers and enablers for success
• Considering how new and existing government policy can contribute to digital inclusion
• Monitoring and evaluating progress against digital inclusion goals through activities, programmes and policies of member departments agreed by the Ministerial Group
• Collaboration between government departments through information sharing and coordinating delivery
• Further items proposed by members and agreed by the Chair and secretariat
  

10. The secretariat’s functions, which will be discharged in collaboration with the relevant Private Offices, will include:

• Agreeing dates, agenda and location of meetings in consultation with relevant departments
• Agreeing in advance any papers to be presented as set out in the agenda for each meeting
• Compiling and/or commissioning papers for discussion
• Circulating the agenda and any supporting papers no less than one week ahead of each meeting
• Taking meeting minutes, generating a meeting summary and updating an action log for members following each meeting, circulating within a week of the meeting
  

11. The Ministerial Group for Digital Inclusion is supported by the Digital Inclusion Strategy Board, a cross-government senior official board providing strategic oversight for the UK Government’s digital inclusion priorities. The Strategy Board operates under its own Terms of Reference.

12. The group’s Terms of Reference and summaries of meeting minutes will be published on GOV.UK.

Review

13. The Terms of Reference for the Ministerial Group for Digital Inclusion will be amended as appropriate to reflect any changes to the role and functions of the Ministerial Group (to be agreed by all members).

14. The Terms of Reference represent an agreement between members and will remain in place unless and until the group jointly agrees any changes. They will be kept continuously under review and assessed for effectiveness.