Labour will “unlock tech barriers to restart the engine of our economy” with new policies announced at London Tech Week

Labour will today [Wednesday 12 June] vow to “place technology at the heart of our missions and unblock tech barriers to restart the engine of our economy” with the Party set to announce new tech policies that a Labour government would introduce to unleash economic growth across the country.

Under the Tories, the UK tech sector is being held back due to outdated planning rules stifling infrastructure development, out of date procurement frameworks for small businesses and the UK's public sector data being fragmented across government, making it hard to conduct research.

Speaking at London Tech Week, Peter Kyle, Labour's Shadow Science Secretary, will announce to an audience of business leaders at London Tech Week that they are crucial to Labour's mission to grow the economy and that a Labour government will work with them to “create the massive opportunities and benefits for working people which the new technological revolution presents”.

Kyle will outline Labour's plan to supercharge the tech sector by boosting skills, improving research and building infrastructure. Labour's new policies include:

• Labour will remove planning barriers to new data centres by updating the National Planning Policy Framework to support the provision of digital infrastructure, including data centres. We will also update the regime for Nationally Significant Infrastructure, to include vital economic infrastructure like major datacentres. 
• Labour will create a National Data Library to support research that can enable better public services and support economic growth. Our plan will provide improved, secure access to good quality public sector data for accredited researchers and innovators. 
• Labour will reform procurement to support UK startups by rationalising procurement frameworks to open up the market to SMEs, who currently have to deal with multiple frameworks, each with a high barrier to entry. We will modernize procurement practices, including greater use of agile contracting methods and Risk-Reward contracts.

A Labour government will also collaborate with the Good Things Foundation to help people on low incomes facing digital exclusion. Labour will look to reuse government technology where appropriate to tackle digital exclusion and the climate crisis. By donating suitable government devices, old laptops and smartphones can be cleaned and distributed to people who cannot afford devices to get online.

Speaking at London Tech Week, Kyle is expected to say:

“Under the Conservatives, the planning system has become a handbrake on businesses.

“In the last year we have seen ministers blocking a £2 billion datacentre because of the effect it had on the view from the M25. This is pure economic vandalism.

“Labour will be different. We will update national planning policy to reflect the importance of datacentres.

“And, for the first time, Labour will bring datacentres into scope for Nationally Significant Infrastructure.”

On data, Kyle is expected to say:

“Britain is uniquely positioned to benefit from new technologies like AI.

“This isn't boosterism but is a recognition of the treasure trove of data our state generates.

“But too often researchers and businesses are blocked when they try to find the data they need.

“Labour will create a new national data library to bring together existing data programmes and make it a responsibility for a minister.”

On procurement, Kyle is expected to say:

''Small businesses have been locked out of the procurement system. They must contend with ever-increasing requirements, micromanagement and red tape. 

“Startups are also left waiting months-on-end to get a decision from government. 

“Labour will support startups and encourage innovation by cutting red tape and streamlining the bidding process.”

On digital inclusion, Kyle is expected to say:

“Upskilling people's digital literacy will be key to growing the economy.

“The route to greater productivity, increased participation and improved access to public services relies on every citizen being equipped with the confidence, devices and skills to use the technology.

“The government's own estimates calculate that digital skills shortages are costing the UK £63 billion a year. The Tories have ignored this issue and not updated a digital inclusion plan since 2014. Considering how technology has advanced in the last 10 years this is a shocking dereliction of duty.

“Labour will take digital inclusion seriously, and will start by donating suitable government devices, old laptops and smartphones, so they can be cleaned and distributed to people without them.”

On the choice at this election, Kyle is expected to say:

“At the election it is a choice between continuing the chaos and decline of the last 14 years with the Conservatives, or turning the page, embracing the challenges and opportunities of change with Labour.”

Ends


Notes:

Labour will remove planning barriers to new datacentres

• Under the Tories, the planning system acts as a major brake on economic growth.
• Conservative neglect has allowed planning rules to go out of date. They don't reflect the importance of new economic infrastructure like datacentres.
• Therefore, Labour will update the planning system to ensure critical economic infrastructure like datacentres get built.
• We will update the National Planning Policy Framework to support the provision of digital infrastructure, including data centres.
• We will also update the regime for Nationally Significant Infrastructure, to include vital economic infrastructure like major datacentres. 
• Labour's industrial strategy will support the growth of the UK's AI sector to support growth and deliver good jobs across the country.

Labour will create a National Data Library to support research that can enable better public services and support economic growth. 

• The UK's public sector data is fragmented across government, making it hard to conduct research. 
• Too many of our data systems are out of date, making it difficult to use them for high-quality, impactful research and initiatives boosting economic growth.
• Labour will bring together existing data research programmes to create a National Data Library.
• The Library will provide improved, secure access to good quality public-sector data for accredited researchers and innovators.  
• It will enable new research resulting in improved outcomes from education to health, whilst boosting economic growth and improving Trust in Governments' use of data.

Labour will look to reuse government technology where appropriate to tackle digital exclusion and the climate crisis

• A significant proportion of the population either can't afford or don't have the skills to interact with modern-day technology, leaving them increasingly isolated. The government's own estimates calculate the digital skills shortages are costing the UK £63 billion a year.
• Under the Tories digital inclusion has been consistently ignored and deprioritised. They have not published a digital inclusion plan since 2014.
• Labour will also reuse government technology where appropriate to tackle digital exclusion and the climate crisis. By donating suitable government devices, old laptops and smartphones can be cleaned and distributed to people who cannot afford devices to get online.
• As part of our review of the National Curriculum, we will ensure that school lays the right foundations for young people to grow, upskill and re-skill throughout their lives, as technologies continue to transform our work lives.

Labour will reform procurement to support UK startups 

• Under the Conservatives, startups have been locked out of the procurement system. They have to deal with ever-increasing requirements, micromanagement and red tape. A study found the UK has the highest procurement compliance costs in Europe.
• Startups are also left waiting months-on-end to get a decision from government. This creates a ‘Valley of Death', where UK businesses can't scale up. These barriers to entry lock out startups and leaves UK public services missing out on the latest innovation.
• Ukraine shows what is possible. The Ukrainian government created a single portal called Brave1 to simplify the process for defence innovators. They made the procurement process 5 times faster. This has allowed Ukraine to deploy technologies like drones to the battlefield sooner, while supporting Ukrainian startups.
• Labour will cut red tape and streamline the bidding process. We will:

• This will be critical to achieving Labour's missions: from an NHS fit for the future, to higher economic growth.
• This latest announcement builds on Labour's existing offer for startups, including improved access to finance and a new Regulatory Innovation Office to remove the barriers to scaling.