New Lords inquiry into digital exclusion gets underway
Monday 20 February 2023
Tomorrow will see the first evidence session in the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee’s new inquiry into digital exclusion and the cost-of-living crisis.
The Committee are looking into digital exclusion in the UK and how tackling it could unleash economic growth. The Covid-19 pandemic prompted many services and activities to move online, raising concerns about deepening digital exclusion. The inquiry will explore how the digital divide may be worsened by pressures on household incomes during the cost-of-living crisis.
On Tuesday 21 February from 2:15pm the Committee will hear evidence from:
- Helen Milner OBE, CEO, Good Things Foundation
- Rocio Concha, Director of Policy and Advocacy and Chief Economist, Which?
- Rowlando Morgan, Head of Environment, Infrastructure and Local Growth, Centre for Economics and Business Research
- Tom Lowe, Head of Policy and Communications, Digital Poverty Alliance
The session will cover issues including the economic impact of digital exclusion on the UK and how tackling it could unlock growth, recent developments in digital exclusion resulting from inflation and pressure on household incomes, and the long-term solutions to digital exclusion that the Government should be pursuing.
The Committee’s call for evidence is open for written submissions, evidence can be submitted until 7 March. Full details on how to submit evidence to the inquiry are available here.
