To ask the Minister of Finance to detail how the funding allocated to Northern Ireland by the UK Government under the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund has been allocated.

The Department of Finance’s Digital Inclusion Unit secured £267,249 in funding to further strengthen and expand local digital inclusion initiatives in the following areas.

Research and Development - conducted in-depth research on digital poverty, exploring key barriers to access and highlighting differences between urban and rural communities to inform targeted interventions.

Research and Development - a landscape review of the current Go ON programme, identifying key findings and recommendations that will inform and enhance future programme development and delivery.

Digital Skills Training - delivered 66 tailored training sessions for disabled people, their carers, and older adults, supporting a total of 233 individuals to build digital confidence and skills.

Digital Skills Training - facilitated 24 training sessions for 227 individuals, focusing on money-saving techniques and essential everyday digital tasks, improving access to online services and boosting confidence.

Specialist Digital Skills Training - delivered 33 specialist sessions supporting 19 individuals who are deaf or have hearing loss, providing tailored support to address specific accessibility needs.

Device Provision – procurement of 300 laptops for VCSE (Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise) organisations, enabling flexible access to technology and supporting wider digital inclusion.