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1701036

registered interest
date	15/04/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Internet: Safety
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will hold discussions with the Leader of the House on making parliamentary time available for scrutiny of Ofcom’s guidance on age verification and age assurance before publication of a government response.
tabling member constituency	Buckingham
tabling member printed	Greg Smith
uin	21853
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2024 answer text <p>Parliamentary scheduling is a matter for the Business Managers. <br> <br> The government is focused on implementing the Online Safety Act as quickly as possible. Ofcom published its consultation on draft guidance about use of age assurance for sites displaying pornographic content on 5 December 2023, and this was open for responses until 5 March 2024. The Act requires that Ofcom consult with the Secretary of State before producing this guidance.</p><p>For the broader duties under the Act about protecting children from harmful content, we expect Ofcom to publish its draft codes of practice later in the Spring. The Act requires that codes of practice are laid in both Houses before coming into force.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti question first answered 23/04/2024 14:54:50 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	4778 label Biography information for Greg Smith

1682871

registered interest
date	17/01/2024
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Internet: Safety
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to help protect young people from online (a) abuse and (b) grooming.
tabling member constituency	Bournemouth East
tabling member printed	Mr Tobias Ellwood
uin	10058
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2024 answer text <p>The Government remains firmly committed to tackling all forms of child sexual abuse online and in our communities across the UK and internationally. Our approach is underpinned by the Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy which sets out firm commitments to drive action across the whole system.</p><p>The Online Safety Act gained Royal Assent in October 2023, and seeks to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online. The Act will for the first time, place clear legal duties on technology companies to take proactive steps to identify, remove and prevent users encountering illegal content, including child sexual abuse, from their platforms. The Government has worked closely with Ofcom to ensure that the implementation period that will be necessary following passage of the legislation is as short as possible.</p><p>Child sexual abuse is named in the act as a priority offence meaning companies must use systems and processes to minimise, remove, and report this content to the NCA or another foreign body. The regulator shall publish codes of practice which will include specific measures on CSEA, setting out how companies will have to comply with their legal duties. Companies must take the steps recommended by Ofcom or take measures that are equally as effective.</p><p>The Home Office continues to work with international Partners to work on law enforcement cooperation to pursue offenders and bring them to justice, and building capacity to combat this complex and evolving threat around the world given the nature of evolving threat</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 22/01/2024 17:31:10 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood

1666496

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Internet: Safety
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of age verification and estimation technology for meeting requirements in the Online Safety Bill.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	203841
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2023 answer text <p>Age verification technologies are well developed and already in use across a range of sectors, including financial services and the online sales of age restricted goods. Age estimation technologies are developing rapidly and there are a growing number of privacy-preserving tools being developed that will ensure that platforms know the age of their users and can provide a safe and age-appropriate experience for children.</p><p>Ofcom will set out in its guidance examples of the kinds of age verification and age estimation measures that can be used to meet the duties set out in the Bill – this includes setting out the kinds of technologies that are highly effective in determining whether a particular user is a child for the purpose of protecting children from pornography and other primary priority content that is harmful to children.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 25/10/2023 16:04:47 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1603375

registered interest
date	13/03/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Internet: Safety
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that age verification measures will be implemented within six months of the enactment of the Online Safety Bill.
tabling member printed	Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick
uin	HL6418
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/03/2023 answer text <p>Our intention is to have the regime operational as soon as possible after Royal Assent, whilst ensuring the necessary preparations are completed effectively and service providers understand what is expected. We are working closely with Ofcom, who will be responsible for implementing the regime.</p><p>It is important that the timeframe for implementation leaves sufficient time and flexibility for Ofcom to produce, consult on, and publish codes of practice and guidance on protections for children which are fit for purpose. It is also critical that the relevant statutory consultees, including persons who represent the interests of children, have adequate time to provide their views.</p> answering member printed Viscount Camrose question first answered 21/03/2023 17:00:23 answering member 4939 label Biography information for Viscount Camrose
tabling member	4130 label Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

1603376

registered interest
date	13/03/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Internet: Safety
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need to introduce provisions within the Online Safety Bill to enable the improvement of media literacy skills of the UK through strengthening the duties of Ofcom, such as requiring (1) local authorities, or (2) media platforms and services, to play a role in education for parents.
tabling member printed	Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick
uin	HL6419
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/03/2023 answer text <p>Ofcom has a statutory duty to promote media literacy under Section 11 of the Communications Act (2003). This covers services regulated under the Online Safety Bill. In December 2021, Ofcom published its ‘Approach to Media Literacy’ document, setting out its refreshed work programme to discharge its duty. This includes working with industry to publish best practice principles for platform-based media literacy interventions, and funding projects supporting children and their parents online.</p><p>The Online Safety Bill will strengthen Ofcom’s ability to discharge its existing duty, giving it new information-gathering and transparency-reporting powers to provide it with better visibility of industry efforts. It will also force regulated services to consider media literacy in their illegal content and children’s risk assessments.</p><p>Further, the government is delivering an expansive, non-legislative media literacy work programme through our Online Media Literacy Strategy. This includes providing £1 million in grant funding this year alone for new media literacy projects, including initiatives working with Local Authorities, and offering support to parents.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Viscount Camrose question first answered 21/03/2023 17:01:17 answering member 4939 label Biography information for Viscount Camrose
tabling member	4130 label Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

1543054

registered interest
date	16/11/2022
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: Safety
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 much from the public purse her Department has spent on (a) staff activity, (b) external research and advice, (c) public consultation and (d) stakeholder engagement on activities related to the Online Safety Bill since May 2018.
tabling member constituency	Manchester Central
tabling member printed	Lucy Powell
uin	88888
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/11/2022 answer text <p>Figures on DCMS’s public spending can be found in DCMS’s Annual Report and Accounts, available on <a href="https://www.gov.uk/" target="_blank">GOV.UK</a>. Spending relating to the Online Safety Bill is a subset of the reported spend of the Security and Online Harms Directorate.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 21/11/2022 16:23:05 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4263 label Biography information for Lucy Powell

1537217

registered interest
date	28/10/2022
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: Safety
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether Ofcom's roadmap to regulation for the Online Safety Bill ensures that the implementation period for Part 5 of that bill following passage of the legislation will be as short as possible, as per their policy and the remarks made by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 17 March 2021 (HL Deb cols 343–7).
tabling member printed	Baroness Benjamin
uin	HL2999
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/11/2022 answer text <p>His Majesty’s Government is committed to implementing protections for children from online pornography, including the provisions in Part 5 of the Online Safety Bill, as quickly as possible. The Government’s intention is to have the online safety regime operational as soon as possible after Royal Assent, while ensuring the necessary preparations are completed effectively and service providers understand what is expected. We are working closely with Ofcom to ensure this.</p><p>As set out in Ofcom’s Roadmap to Regulation, an important consideration for the implementation of Part 5 will be the need to ensure a consistency in approach across all providers of online pornography, including those hosting user-generated content subject to the duties of Part 3. This is to ensure the legislation effectively protects children from pornography, wherever it appears online. Ofcom also needs appropriate time and flexibility properly to produce and then consult relevant statutory consultees on the relevant guidance, including those who represent the interests of children.</p><p>Ofcom will be able to use its enforcement powers, including the power to issue a provisional notice of contravention relating to Part 5, once clause 68, which sets out the duties for regulated provider pornographic content, is commenced. We do not, however, expect to see sanctions applied, except in the most egregious cases, until Ofcom has worked with regulated entities to ensure they have sufficient knowledge and notice of the new regulatory framework. Before issuing any sanctions Ofcom will undertake a full and fair investigation of any suspected non-compliance.</p><p>The introduction of the Bill should be taken as a clear message to companies that they need to begin preparing for regulation now.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay grouped question UIN HL3000 question first answered 11/11/2022 09:53:29 answering member 4728 label Biography information for Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
tabling member	4167 label Biography information for Baroness Benjamin

1537218

registered interest
date	28/10/2022
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: Safety
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how long after completion of the passage of the Online Safety Bill they would expect Ofcom to have the power to issue the first provisional notice of contravention under Part 5 of that Bill.
tabling member printed	Baroness Benjamin
uin	HL3000
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/11/2022 answer text <p>His Majesty’s Government is committed to implementing protections for children from online pornography, including the provisions in Part 5 of the Online Safety Bill, as quickly as possible. The Government’s intention is to have the online safety regime operational as soon as possible after Royal Assent, while ensuring the necessary preparations are completed effectively and service providers understand what is expected. We are working closely with Ofcom to ensure this.</p><p>As set out in Ofcom’s Roadmap to Regulation, an important consideration for the implementation of Part 5 will be the need to ensure a consistency in approach across all providers of online pornography, including those hosting user-generated content subject to the duties of Part 3. This is to ensure the legislation effectively protects children from pornography, wherever it appears online. Ofcom also needs appropriate time and flexibility properly to produce and then consult relevant statutory consultees on the relevant guidance, including those who represent the interests of children.</p><p>Ofcom will be able to use its enforcement powers, including the power to issue a provisional notice of contravention relating to Part 5, once clause 68, which sets out the duties for regulated provider pornographic content, is commenced. We do not, however, expect to see sanctions applied, except in the most egregious cases, until Ofcom has worked with regulated entities to ensure they have sufficient knowledge and notice of the new regulatory framework. Before issuing any sanctions Ofcom will undertake a full and fair investigation of any suspected non-compliance.</p><p>The introduction of the Bill should be taken as a clear message to companies that they need to begin preparing for regulation now.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay grouped question UIN HL2999 question first answered 11/11/2022 09:53:29 answering member 4728 label Biography information for Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
tabling member	4167 label Biography information for Baroness Benjamin

1537219

registered interest
date	28/10/2022
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: Safety
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they expect the duties on user-to-user services created by the Online Safety Bill to apply when services are accessed via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and the service may not be able to know if the user is located in the UK.
tabling member printed	Baroness Benjamin
uin	HL3001
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/11/2022 answer text <p>The Online Safety Bill will apply to companies which allow users to post content online or to interact with each other, as well as to search services.</p><p>The Online Safety Bill will ensure that users in the UK are protected. It will apply to any relevant service which is ‘linked to the UK’, no matter where it is based. A service is linked to the UK if it has a significant number of UK users, UK users form a target market, or if it poses a material risk of significant harm to UK individuals.</p><p>The onus will be on companies to ensure that their systems are sufficiently effective. Ofcom will be able to take robust enforcement action against companies which fail to fulfil their duties.</p> answering member printed Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay question first answered 10/11/2022 16:29:41 answering member 4728 label Biography information for Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
tabling member	4167 label Biography information for Baroness Benjamin

1518950

registered interest
date	10/10/2022
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: Safety
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 assessment she has made of the adequacy of the definition of legal but harmful in the Online Safety Bill.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	59033
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/10/2022 answer text <p>The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is currently reviewing the adult safety duties and the definition of content that is harmful to adults. This is to ensure that we strike the right balance between protecting users from harmful content online and protecting users’ rights to freedom of expression.</p> answering member constituency Folkestone and Hythe answering member printed Damian Collins question first answered 18/10/2022 09:17:35 answering member 3986 label Biography information for Damian Collins
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman