Conservative MPs Damian Collins and Rt Hon Esther McVey along with Labour MPs Julie Elliott, Darren Jones, and Siobhain McDonagh will chair roundtables with leaders from government, business and the third sector
15 November 2021, London: MPs from the Conservative and Labour parties will come together this week to lead a series of roundtable discussions at the Digital Poverty & Inequalities Summit, being facilitated by the All Party Parliamentary Groups for Digital Skills, Data Poverty and the Parliamentary, Internet, Communications and Technology Forum (PICTFOR), and in collaboration with the Digital Poverty Alliance.
Conservative MPs Damian Collins and Rt Hon Esther McVey, along with Labour MPs Julie Elliott, Darren Jones, and Siobhain McDonagh will chair roundtables between 15th – 24th November with leaders from government, business, unions and the third sector to review the steps already being taken to address digital poverty and work together to develop a clear path to close the digital divide.
According to the Lloyds Essential Digital Skills Report 2021 over 11 million working adults across the UK lack essential digital skills for everyday life. Digital poverty is increasingly recognised as a key determinant of overall poverty and with the pandemic accelerating the shift to digital services, work and learning, meaning for those left behind the consequences are more serious than ever before.
The Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA) is a non-profit member organisation formed to connect the dots between Government, business and the third sector to drive coordinated action to eliminate digital poverty.
The DPA will attend each session during the Summit to capture the findings for its own independent report which will be incorporated in a major evidence review, due to be published early 2022.
The sessions are closed, but key notes will be published each day at www.digitalpovertyalliance.org.
CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, Paul Finnis commented: “Access to digital skills and technology is a vital component for success and wellbeing both on a personal and societal level. At the Digital Poverty Alliance we are proud to be collaborating with this cross-Parliamentary group to scrutinise the current state of digital inclusion and work together to eliminate digital poverty in the UK.”
Sessions:
Monday 15th November, Digital Capability and Understanding – Digital skills in the workplace and the future of work.
Chair: Julie Elliott MP, Chair, APPG Digital Skills
Tuesday 16th, Devices & Connectivity – The effect of digital poverty on opportunity and community and the economic benefits of fixing the divide.
Chair: Darren Jones, MP, Chair APPG Data Poverty
Wednesday 17th, Research and Development: How can the tech sector further drive innovation in the UK’s economy and help to close the digital divide, run by the Parliamentary, Internet, Communications and Technology Forum (PICTFOR).
Chair: Rt Hon Esther McVey MP, founder: If Chloe Can
Tuesday 23rd, Education and the digital divide – to highlight the increasing importance on technology and connectivity in the education system, the digital divide that exists within schools and classrooms, and the consequences both short and long term because of this divide.
Chair: Siobhain McDonagh MP, Vice Chair APPG for Digital Skills
Wednesday 24th, Beating the Barriers: Online safety, security, and accessibility with the APPG for Digital Skills; The converging importance of accessibility, digital literacy and online threats, scams and disinformation.
Chair: Damian Collins MP, Chair, Joint Committee on the Draft Online Safety Bill
The Digital Poverty Alliance is inviting interested parties to join their online community by contacting hello@digitalpovertyalliance.org or visiting www.digitalpovertyalliance.org.
ENDS
About the Digital Poverty Alliance
The Digital Poverty Alliance is a non-profit member organisation convening individuals from across business, government, charity and education, with the sole aim of eradicating digital poverty in the UK and ultimately globally. The organisation works to convene and combine the multiple initiatives and research on digital poverty to create one national strategy.
For more information contact:
Tyto PR for Digital Poverty Alliance dpa@tytopr.com