New Department for Science Innovation and Technology could see tech better recognised in Whitehall
techUK has welcomed the new Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) announced in last week’s reshuffle, which will give the tech sector a clearer and stronger voice in government, and is a good reflection of the UK’s aims to build a stronger digital economy and society.
The New Department
The new department will, as we understand it, combine DCMS’s tech and digital work with the R&D, science and innovation policy parts of the now defunct Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). This likely includes responsibility of a large amount of the BEIS R&D budget which was forecast to reach £20bn per year by 2024/25.
As well as the changes in responsibility, many of the civil servant and ministerial teams techUK has worked closely with and who are knowledgeable of the tech sector move into DSIT. This includes former DCMS Secretary of State Michelle Donelan MP, DCMS Tech Minister Paul Scully MP and BEIS Science Minister George Freeman MP.
Opportunities for tech
These changes could address some longstanding concerns that the sector had with DCMS. Those being that the Department was often split between different and competing priorities and was on the smaller side when it came to spending power and size when compared with other Whitehall departments.
This new Department reflects the Government’s desire to place tech and innovation at the core of the UK economy, with the official announcement of the changes claiming, 'It will build on our strong foundations of world-class research, a thriving technology scene and global networks of collaboration to create a golden thread from outstanding basic science to innovations that change lives and sustain economic growth.'
This focus too on research to commercialisation further indicates a recognition of the scale-up gap, with the current skills shortage reported by the sector reflected further in the department’s goals to ' …direct record levels of R&D, and deliver talent programmes, physical and digital infrastructure and regulation to support our economy, security, public services and wider Government priorities.'
Co-operation with the rest of government.
There are, of course, unanswered questions about how the new department will interact with the rest of Whitehall. Especially as two more new departments were created, the Department for Business and Trade and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero also emerging from the break-up of BEIS.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, for example, has responsibility for energy infrastructure. Tech has a significant role to play not just in the ‘greening’ of energy networks, but the National Council on the National Security Strategy last year reported a need for cross-systems thinking in Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) deployment to improve security and resilience. Ensuring tech does not become ‘siloed’ in DSIT, and that DSIT is able to take the benefits of the tech sector to the rest of Whitehall, is thus an important priority going forward.
Similarly, the changing responsibilities of regulators raises questions. This includes how will DSIT work effectively with Ofcom, with the regulator principally remaining accountable to DCMS? Ofcom, while popularly known for its regulation of the media, is also responsible for regulating radio spectrum, including Unmanned Aerial Platforms as well as the implementation of the Online Safety Bill which is likely to fall under DSIT’s scope.
Going forward
While the new Department of Science, Technology and Innovation is a welcome change that will bring the tech sector under one roof and, seemingly, give it the voice and financial support it deserves. However, with the ubiquity of tech across our lives and the work of government, DSIT cannot let the powerful, singular voice it has become an isolated one.
techUK will be working closely with DSIT and each of new departments in the coming weeks to ensure that the Government capitalizes on this new focus on science and tech.
You can read a full summary of responsibilities of the new Departments here
Archie Breare
Archie Breare
Archie Breare joined techUK in September 2022 as the Telecoms Programme intern, and moved into the Policy and Public Affairs team as the Team Assistant in February 2023 and as Public Affairs Manager in September 2023
Before starting at techUK, Archie was a student at the University of Cambridge, completing an undergraduate degree in History and a master's degree in Modern British History.
In his spare time, he likes to read, discuss current affairs, and to try and persuade himself to cycle more.
