The government has confirmed that the responsibilities of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) will be redistributed across other departments.

This is to "align with the Government’s core economic and social agenda embedded as vital engines of growth exactly where they can have the most direct impact".

The justification for the change is that "technology and innovation are not separate sectors of our economy – they are the foundation of all future industry, culture, and public service delivery".

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) will be renamed to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (DBIST) and will focus on new and emerging sectors as part of the reindustrialisation agenda. It will provide  end-to-end support from foundational research to starting and scaling-up innovative firms, and supporting infrastructure through stronger links to the British Business Bank and the National Wealth Fund.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has also been expanded to bring together telecoms, media and the Government Digital Service (GDS). This is to "reflect the inseparable nature of culture and technology as drivers of our country and the modern economy."

It will provide coherent and strategic oversight, across telecoms, media and online safety and will continue to work on the modernisation of government and public services via the GDS.

The expanded DCMS will also bring together levers on online safety and mis- and disinformation.