Government introduces technology adoption review

The government is looking for evidence from businesses and industry on barriers to digital transformation in the UK.

The call for evidence comes after chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in the Autumn Budget that the government would launch a technology adoption review. The review is being led by chief scientific adviser Angela McLean and national technology adviser Dave Smith.

In the call for evidence, McLean and Smith said that they hope to “gain views on what has worked well and what needs to change to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of successful technology adoption”.

The evidence received will guide the review’s recommendations on how the government can work with businesses to address barriers to digital transformation and technology adoption, with a main focus on the eight growth-driving sectors identified in the Industrial Strategy greenpaper.   

These include advanced manufacturing, clean energy, creative industries, life sciences, digital and technologies, defence, financial services and professional and business services.

In the call for evidence, the government highlights a set of questions they would like answers and opinions on, including why the UK ranks lower than some OECD countries in technology adoption.

In the World Intellectual Property Organisation Global innovation index 2024, the UK ranked fifth out of 133 countries, but only 31^st in knowledge absorption, and lags behind every other G7 country when it comes to business investment as a share of the economy.

The government wants to know what the biggest barriers to technology adoption are across different sectors, and whether the size of businesses and their location has an impact on barriers.

It also wants to know how the UK currently supports adoption of new technology and what could be improved, whether current policies are successful in supporting technology adoption, where the gaps are in technology skills and how the government can support upskilling of domestic workers.

Looking to the future, the call for evidence also asks what opportunities there are for government and industry to work together on driving technology adoption, and what policies government should consider to accelerate technology adoption across the economy and within specific sectors.

Those wanting to submit evidence have until the 14 February 2025 to do so. Once the evidence has been reviewed, McLean and Smith will work with the technology adoption review team to recommend options and report to chancellor Reeves, as well as the secretaries of states for the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology and Department of Business and Trade. The recommendations will then feed into the Industrial Strategy.  

The Government Office for Science and National Technology Adviser’s Office will also chair a senior cross-Whitehall steering group, which will have executive oversight of the review’s progress.

In September 2024, the government launched a campaign to recruit new members to the prime minister’s Council for Science and Technology (CST).

The CST functions as the government’s highest-level advisory body on strategic science and technology issues, reporting directly to the prime minister. It also aims to support the UK’s international science and technology partnerships, developing advice jointly with equivalent bodies abroad.