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1453887

registered interest
date	24/03/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Freedom of Expression
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What steps her Department is taking to protect freedom of expression.
tabling member constituency	Northampton South
tabling member printed	Andrew Lewer
uin	906276
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2022 answer text <p>Freedom of expression and the media are essential qualities of any functioning democracy. The Department is taking a number of steps to protect freedom of expression and democratic values online. This includes our Online Safety Bill, work on open societies with the G7, and our work on press freedom and sustainability.</p><p>The Government introduced the Online Safety Bill on 17 March 2021. This legislation will usher in a new era of accountability for tech companies, and uphold free expression and pluralism online.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 24/03/2022 13:34:28 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4659 label Biography information for Andrew Lewer

1453888

registered interest
date	24/03/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Joint Committee on the Draft Online Safety Bill
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What steps she has taken to implement the recommendations of the Draft Online Safety Bill Joint Committee.
tabling member constituency	Glenrothes
tabling member printed	Peter Grant
uin	906278
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2022 answer text <p>The Government introduced the Online Safety Bill on 17 March, alongside our response to the Joint Committee’s report, which has significantly influenced the final Bill.</p><p>We have taken forward over 60 recommendations, including to:</p><ul><li><p>put priority offences onto the face of the Bill</p></li><li><p>bring scam advertising into scope</p></li><li><p>include Law Commission recommendations on communications offences and cyberflashing</p></li><li><p>introduce a standalone provision to protect children from pornography on dedicated sites as well as social media.</p></li></ul><p> </p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 24/03/2022 13:35:33 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4466 label Biography information for Peter Grant

1452131

registered interest
date	18/03/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Broadband
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the average proportion of homes and business that have high speed broadband availability in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	141922
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2022 answer text <p>The vast majority of the United Kingdom (96.7%) has access to superfast broadband. Superfast broadband allows households to work or learn from home and stream a high definition film simultaneously. Additionally, the government is committed to delivering nationwide gigabit connectivity as soon as possible. Today, over 66% of premises can access gigabit-capable networks, up from just one in ten in November 2019. By 2025 the government is targeting a minimum of 85% gigabit-capable coverage.</p><p>According to ThinkBroadband, as of 21/03/2022 coverage statistics were as follows:</p><ol><li><p>England - (Superfast 97.5%) and (Gigabit 67.9%)</p></li><li><p>Scotland - (Superfast 94.9%) and (Gigabit 60.8%)</p></li><li><p>Wales- (Superfast 96%) and (Gigabit 49%)</p></li><li><p>Northern Ireland - (Superfast 91.5%) and (Gigabit 82.3%)</p></li></ol><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 22/03/2022 16:24:10 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

1452251

registered interest
date	17/03/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Twitter: Russia
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with Twitter representatives regarding disinformation tweeted by official accounts of the Russian Government.
tabling member constituency	Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
tabling member printed	John Lamont
uin	142066
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2022 answer text <p>The Russian state is waging an aggressive information campaign, including using disinformation spread by official Russian Government accounts to try and justify Russia’s unacceptable military action in Ukraine.</p><p>DCMS is working closely with major social media platforms, including Twitter, to ensure disinformation, and coordinated inauthentic or manipulated behaviour, is removed in line with platforms’ terms of service, and authoritative content which accurately depicts the ongoing situation in Ukraine is promoted across their services.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 22/03/2022 09:54:56 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4608 label Biography information for John Lamont

1451755

registered interest
date	16/03/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Sports: Government Assistance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help support grassroots sport.
tabling member constituency	Stockton South
tabling member printed	Matt Vickers
uin	141326
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/03/2022 answer text <p>Sports and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health and all generations and communities should be able to enjoy the health, wellbeing, social and other benefits of being active.</p><p>Since the government launched its sports strategy, Sporting Future in 2015, we have achieved a huge amount. Sport England has allocated over £1.5 billion to nearly 5,000 grassroots organisations across the UK. Sport England has also published its new ten year strategy which focuses on driving up activity levels and helping to improve physical and mental health.</p><p>In 2020 alone, Sport England distributed over £340 million of Exchequer and Lottery funding to support the development of grassroots sport in England, in addition to £100 million through the National Leisure Recovery Fund.</p><p>The Prime Minister has committed to delivering the grassroots pitches every community needs and this has already resulted in an investment of £25 million by the government to upgrade and improve facilities across the UK this year. At the Spending Review, a further £205 million was pledged over the next three years, targeted at the communities most in need, with the aim of increasing participation in sport among under-represented groups, as part of the government’s levelling up plans. This was in addition to a £30 million package to renovate 4,500 park tennis courts across the country.</p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 21/03/2022 09:24:16 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	4844 label Biography information for Matt Vickers

1451756

registered interest
date	16/03/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Internet: Advertising
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress her Department has made in tackling fraudulent online advertisements.
tabling member constituency	Stockton South
tabling member printed	Matt Vickers
uin	141327
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2022 answer text <p>We introduced the Online Safety Bill to Parliament on 17 March. Through the Bill, the largest tech companies will need to take robust action to tackle fraud, including fraudulent online advertisements. This will ensure that people using the largest platforms are protected from scams, and ensure these services do not profit from illegal activity.</p><p>We have also launched a consultation on proposals for wider reform of online advertising regulations, including the role of the online advertising ecosystem in relation to fraud.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 22/03/2022 09:56:44 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4844 label Biography information for Matt Vickers

1451757

registered interest
date	16/03/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Gambling
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps her Department has taken to help tackle harms that can be caused by problem gambling.
tabling member constituency	Stockton South
tabling member printed	Matt Vickers
uin	141328
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2022 answer text <p>We are currently conducting a Review of the Gambling Act 2005 to ensure gambling regulation is fit for the digital age. This builds on action by the government and the Gambling Commission to strengthen protections in recent years including cutting the stake on gaming machines in betting shops, banning gambling on credit cards, mandating operator participation in the national online self-exclusion scheme GAMSTOP, tightening restrictions on VIP schemes, making online slots safer by design and raising the minimum age of sale of National Lottery games.</p><p>In 2019, DCMS secured a commitment from industry to contribute £100m over four years to problem gambling treatment. NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) are also continuing work to improve and expand specialist treatment services, with up to 15 new NHS clinics set to open by 2023/24. Since 2020, children have been taught about the risks relating to gambling, including the accumulation of debt, as part of the statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education curriculum in England.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 24/03/2022 13:28:58 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4844 label Biography information for Matt Vickers

1451758

registered interest
date	16/03/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Internet: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help prevent children accessing legal content online that may be harmful to them.
tabling member constituency	Stockton South
tabling member printed	Matt Vickers
uin	141329
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2022 answer text <p>Protecting children online is a key objective of the Online Safety Bill, which the government introduced to Parliament on 17 March 2022.</p><p>Providers in scope of the legislation will need to assess whether their service is likely to be accessed by children and, if so, deliver additional protections for them. Safety measures will need to protect children from content and activity which is legal but harmful to them such as pornography and bullying. If sites fail in their duties under the Bill, they will be subject to tough enforcement action by Ofcom.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 24/03/2022 13:30:22 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4844 label Biography information for Matt Vickers

1451759

registered interest
date	16/03/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Broadband and Mobile Phones: Rural Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps her Department has taken to help improve broadband and mobile phone coverage in rural areas.
tabling member constituency	Stockton South
tabling member printed	Matt Vickers
uin	141330
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2022 answer text <p>We are investing £5 billion through Project Gigabit to provide reliable, lightning-fast, future-proofed connectivity in areas not covered by commercial delivery. Project Gigabit is central to how we level up, future-proofing connectivity for decades to come and ensuring no-one is left behind.</p><p>We have already upgraded 600,000 premises to gigabit-capable broadband, and in three years national gigabit coverage has rocketed from six per cent to 66 per cent.</p><p>Procurements under Project Gigabit are now under way in a number of regions across the country to extend this further. Up to 2.5million hard-to-reach premises have been announced as within scope for gigabit procurements and up to £210 million in vouchers is available to help communities that are not in line for commercial or publicly-funded projects right now.</p><p>The Government also recognises the frustration arising from the impact poor mobile coverage has on communities, particularly in rural areas. That is why we agreed a deal with the mobile network operators to deliver the Shared Rural Network programme. This agreement will see the government and industry jointly invest over £1 billion to increase 4G mobile coverage to 95% UK geography by the end of the programme. It will improve coverage for an extra 280,000 premises and 16,000km of roads tackling not-spots and reduce the divide in connectivity between urban and rural areas.</p><p>The four mobile network operators have already commenced work on the first element of the programme, which is funded by industry, and work is already under way and on track to eliminate the majority of partial not-spots - areas of the UK where there is currently coverage from at least one, but not all operators - by mid-2024.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 22/03/2022 16:54:27 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4844 label Biography information for Matt Vickers

1451760

registered interest
date	16/03/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Broadband
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help deliver full-fibre and gigabit-capable broadband to every home and business across the UK by 2025.
tabling member constituency	Stockton South
tabling member printed	Matt Vickers
uin	141331
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2022 answer text <p>The Government is committed to delivering nationwide gigabit connectivity as soon as possible. Our target is a minimum of 85% gigabit-capable coverage by 2025, but this is not the limit of our ambitions and we will continue to work closely with the industry to get close to complete gigabit coverage as quickly as we can thereafter.</p><p>We are investing £5 billion so hard-to-reach areas can get ultra-reliable gigabit speeds, have already upgraded 600,000 premises, and in three years national coverage has rocketed from six per cent to 66 per cent.</p><p>We are making excellent progress on Project Gigabit. Broadband providers have so far been invited to bid for Project Gigabit contracts worth up to £292 million to upgrade up to 187,000 premises across Cumbria, Durham, Northumberland, Cambridgeshire, North Dorset and West Cornwall - with initial work expected to commence later this year.</p><p>Up to 2.5 million premises are included in the Project Gigabit procurement pipeline within England, with further details published in our latest <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/project-gigabit-delivery-plan-winter-update/project-gigabit-winter-update" target="_blank">Project Gigabit Delivery Plan</a>.</p><p>In addition to our procurement pipeline, we are investing up to £210 million in the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme to support rural communities with the cost of installing new gigabit-capable connections. To date, more than 63,500 households and small to medium businesses have benefited from an upgrade through the voucher scheme.</p><p>We are also providing funding of up to £110 million to connect up to 7,000 rural public buildings like schools, GP surgeries and libraries, which will act as hubs for connecting nearby homes and businesses.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 22/03/2022 16:56:50 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4844 label Biography information for Matt Vickers