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1346727

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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	Social Media: Subversion
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 she has been made on establishing a protocol with social media companies to ensure that they take covert hostile state use of their platforms seriously as recommended by the Intelligence and Security Committee’s report on Russia published on 21 July 2020.
tabling member constituency	Wigan
tabling member printed	Lisa Nandy
uin	33216
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2021 answer text <p>It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect the UK against foreign interference. That is why the Government has robust systems in place that bring together government, civil society and private sector organisations to monitor and respond to interference in whatever form it takes.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>During times of heightened vulnerability such as elections or the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government stands up Counter Disinformation Unit. The Unit provides a comprehensive picture of the extent, scope and reach of mis- and disinformation, and works with social media platforms to ensure appropriate action is taken to address it, in line with their terms and conditions.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>We engage regularly with social media companies and welcome the positive steps many of them have taken particularly in response to misinformation around COVID-19 vaccines. Platforms have updated terms of service and made technical changes to their products, but they need to do more. We continue to put pressure on them to respond quickly and effectively to the threat posed by false information and online manipulation.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government is developing and seeking input to inform an ambitious set of legislative proposals to counter these threats and strengthen our ability to deter, withstand and respond to such activity. The Home Office’s upcoming Counter State Threats legislation will provide the security services and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to tackle the evolving threat from hostile activity by states and actors.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>We have also published the draft Online Safety Bill, which will bring in a legal duty of care and give companies clear legal responsibilities to improve user safety. The new laws will have robust and proportionate measures to deal with disinformation that could cause significant physical or psychological harm to an individual, such as anti-vaccination content and falsehoods about COVID-19.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 19/07/2021 10:53:15 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	4082 label Biography information for Lisa Nandy

1346754

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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: Racial Discrimination
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 plans his Department has to make all racially discriminatory user-generated content illegal content in the draft Online Harms Bill.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	33224
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2021 answer text <p>To ensure the criminal law is fit for purpose to deal with online harms, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport sponsored the Law Commission to review the criminal law relating to harmful online communications. The Law Commission has consulted on proposed reforms and will publish their final report this summer. We will carefully consider using the online safety legislation to bring the Law Commission’s final recommendations into law, where it is necessary and appropriate to do so.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>In addition, the Law Commission is undertaking a separate review sponsored by the Home Office, which is considering the adequacy and parity of protection offered by the law relating to hate crime. The Law Commission has consulted on their proposals and aims to publish a final report later this year.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Online Safety Bill will ensure that racially discriminatory content that is illegal offline, is illegal online. Under the Online Safety Bill, services in scope will need to minimise and remove illegal content. Major platforms will also need to address legal but harmful content for adults. Priority categories of legal but harmful content for adults will be set out in secondary legislation and are likely to include online racist abuse.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 19/07/2021 10:54:27 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1346768

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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	Food: 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 assessment he has made of the potential effect of restrictions on the online advertising of products that are high in fat, salt and sugar on investment by food manufacturers in UK companies compared with international competitors.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	33157
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/07/2021 answer text <p>The Impact Assessment published alongside the Government’s consultation response for the 2019 and 2020 consultations on further restricting the advertising of food and drinks products high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS) on TV and online estimates that advertisers, including manufacturers, retailers and out of home businesses will have lower returns of around £39m per year as a result of the restrictions.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The restrictions will apply to all companies advertising to UK consumers, whether or not they are UK companies.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government is cognisant of the revenue impacts to UK business, but we must act now to reduce the risks obesity presents to us all and act to protect our NHS. It is estimated that obesity-related conditions are currently costing the NHS £6.1 billion per year. The total costs to society of these conditions have been estimated at around £27 billion per year.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Throughout this policy’s development we have been keen to mitigate the impacts on business whilst balancing the vital need to improve the nation’s health. Part of this includes the number of exemptions which are part of the policy. By including these exemptions, such as for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), it keeps the policy proportionate.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 27/07/2021 08:08:58 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1346777

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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: Racial Discrimination
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, ​whether racism that falls short of the standard of a racial hatred offence will be covered by the Online Safety Bill as a priority harm.
tabling member constituency	Ogmore
tabling member printed	Chris Elmore
uin	33294
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2021 answer text <p>Racism online is completely unacceptable and has no place in an open and tolerant society. All companies whose services are likely to be used by children will have to protect them from racist content that falls short of the criminal threshold. Companies providing high-risk, high-reach services, such as the main social media services will also need to address legal content of this type that is harmful to adults. Racist abuse falls within the definition of harmful content that companies must address.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The government will set out priority harms for both children and adults in secondary legislation following consultation with Ofcom. Racist abuse that does not meet the threshold of a criminal offence will likely be a priority harm.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 19/07/2021 14:52:03 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	4572 label Biography information for Chris Elmore

1346794

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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	Ofcom: Public Appointments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list the members of the interview panel for the first selection process for the Chair of Ofcom.
tabling member constituency	City of Chester
tabling member printed	Christian Matheson
uin	33248
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2021 answer text <p>The first process to appoint the permanent Chair of Ofcom was run in line with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code for Public Appointments, and regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. In line with the requirements of the Governance Code, the members of the interview panel were published in March 2021 on the Cabinet Office’s Public Appointments Website. The panel consisted of Susannah Storey (Director General, DCMS), Paul Potts (Senior Independent Panel Member), Melanie Richards and Lord Livingston of Parkhead.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale question first answered 21/07/2021 15:41:36 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	4408 label Biography information for Christian Matheson

1346795

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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	Ofcom: Public Appointments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many applicants in the first process for the appointment of Chair of Ofcom had their applications carried forward automatically to the second process.
tabling member constituency	City of Chester
tabling member printed	Christian Matheson
uin	33249
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2021 answer text <p>A second process to appoint a permanent Chair of Ofcom has not yet been launched but announcements will be made in due course. The process will be a fair and open competition, and run in line with the Governance Code for Public appointments and regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale question first answered 21/07/2021 15:38:36 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	4408 label Biography information for Christian Matheson

1346796

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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	BBC: Recruitment
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 his Department has had with representatives of the BBC about internal staff appointments at the BBC.
tabling member constituency	City of Chester
tabling member printed	Christian Matheson
uin	33250
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2021 answer text <p>The BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the government, and the government has no role in internal or executive recruitment at the BBC.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Meetings with external organisations and individuals undertaken in a ministerial capacity are published on GOV.UK on a quarterly basis.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale grouped question UIN 33251 question first answered 21/07/2021 15:44:15 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	4408 label Biography information for Christian Matheson

1346797

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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	BBC: Recruitment
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 (a) he, (b) his officials and (c) advisors have had with representatives of the BBC about internal staff appointments at the BBC.
tabling member constituency	City of Chester
tabling member printed	Christian Matheson
uin	33251
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2021 answer text <p>The BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the government, and the government has no role in internal or executive recruitment at the BBC.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Meetings with external organisations and individuals undertaken in a ministerial capacity are published on GOV.UK on a quarterly basis.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale grouped question UIN 33250 question first answered 21/07/2021 15:44:15 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	4408 label Biography information for Christian Matheson

1346817

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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	Football: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many people were refused entry to the European Championship Final at Wembley on 11 July 2021 for breaking covid-19 quarantine rules.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	33325
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2021 answer text <p>The Government was clear that anyone suspected of entering the UK with the intention of breaching isolation in order to attend a EURO 2020 match would be denied entry, and that their tickets may be cancelled (if not transferred to someone else). This policy combined with communications to supporters of teams playing in the UK had a significant deterrent effect on those who might otherwise have travelled to the UK for the tournament.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>All EURO 2020 matches at Wembley were subject to strict entry requirements. Those seeking to enter were required to provide a negative Lateral Flow test result or (for those from England, Scotland and Wales) proof of full vaccination. Anyone failing to provide these would have been denied entry. The English Football Association was responsible for enforcing these requirements and no data is held on whether any of those denied entry were also deemed to have been breaking border restrictions.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Of the Italian contingent present at the Final, the vast majority were based in the UK (as - other than in the original ballot prior to the pandemic - tickets were not sold to people outside of the Common Travel Area). A small contingent of accredited guests were exempt from the isolation requirement in order to attend the match, but otherwise subject to strict public health restrictions - this included a group of c380 who flew in and out on the day, with no contact with the general public.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 21/07/2021 13:25:06 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1346862

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Re-employment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy of 27 April 2021, Official Report, column 86WH, what steps his Department has taken to (a) investigate the use of fire and rehire tactics by its executive non-departmental public bodies, (b) communicate the Government's position on fire and rehire tactics to those bodies and (c) discourage the use of such tactics by those bodies.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough
tabling member printed	Andy McDonald
uin	33235
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2021 answer text <p>The Government has been very clear that threatening fire and rehire as a negotiating tactic is completely unacceptable. We always expect employers to treat employees fairly and in the spirit of partnership working with trade unions, where relevant, constructively. We are confident that all non-departmental public bodies are aware of the Government’s position on this matter.</p><p>We work constructively with each non-departmental public body we have responsibility for and this includes when it comes to workforce management matters, however each is ultimately responsible for the management of their staff.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 19/07/2021 14:49:08 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	4269 label Biography information for Andy McDonald