AQW 45312/22-27

Ms Kate Nicholl
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 01/05/2026
Answered On Date: 12/05/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
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.

Answer:

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.