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1692160

registered interest
date	27/02/2024
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	Online Safety Act 2023: Prosecutions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many prosecutions have taken place under the false communications offence as set out in section 179 of the Online Safety Act 2023.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	15891
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2024 answer text <p>The false communications offence was introduced by the Online Safety Act 2023 (“the Act”). The communication offences in the Act, including the false communications offence were commenced on 31 January this year.</p><p> </p><p>The Ministry of Justice publish information on prosecutions, convictions and sentence outcomes under specific legislation. The Act gained Royal Assent in October 2023; therefore, it is not yet available in the published figures. Figures up to December 2023 are intended for publication in May 2024.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti question first answered 01/03/2024 11:44:06 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1692161

registered interest
date	27/02/2024
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	Online Safety Act 2023: Enforcement and Fines
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what (a) fines and (b) enforcement actions have been imposed upon telecoms providers since the Online Safety Act 2023 came into force.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	15892
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2024 answer text <p>The Online Safety Act received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023. As with other areas it regulates, Ofcom must first establish codes of practice and enforcement guidance, before duties come into force and enforcement action can be taken. Ofcom has begun a programme of consultations on the relevant codes and guidance, which are expected to be in force by early 2025.</p><p> </p><p>The new laws in the Act apply to online search services and services that allow users to post content or interact with each other online. They do not apply to services outside of this scope – e.g. ‘offline’ telecoms services.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti grouped question UIN 15893 question first answered 01/03/2024 11:29:33 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1692162

registered interest
date	27/02/2024
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	Online Safety Act 2023: Fines
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether any telecoms provider has been fined up to a maximum of 10 per cent of its relative turnover as set out in the Online Safety Act 2023, since that Act came into force.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	15893
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2024 answer text <p>The Online Safety Act received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023. As with other areas it regulates, Ofcom must first establish codes of practice and enforcement guidance, before duties come into force and enforcement action can be taken. Ofcom has begun a programme of consultations on the relevant codes and guidance, which are expected to be in force by early 2025.</p><p> </p><p>The new laws in the Act apply to online search services and services that allow users to post content or interact with each other online. They do not apply to services outside of this scope – e.g. ‘offline’ telecoms services.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti grouped question UIN 15892 question first answered 01/03/2024 11:29:33 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1692163

registered interest
date	27/02/2024
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	Media Literacy Task Force
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps the Media Literacy Taskforce has taken to protect the public from (a) misinformation and (b) disinformation.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	15894
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2024 answer text <p>The Media Literacy Taskforce, a body of 17 media literacy experts drawn from the tech industry, civil society, the press sector and academia, was established in March 2022. DSIT consults the Taskforce on how to tackle the key challenges facing the media literacy landscape, in particular that of how to improve provision for citizens who are disengaged or lack access to support.</p><p> </p><p>For example, the Taskforce played a key role in launching the Media Literacy Taskforce Fund, a grant scheme through which we awarded over £800,000 to four innovative media literacy projects delivered over the financial years 2022/23 and 2023/24. These projects seek to build the online safety and critical thinking skills of users from all age groups, empowering them to respond effectively to the threats posed by mis- and disinformation, along with other online harms. Taskforce members advised the government on which projects should be awarded funding, and then helped grant recipients to maximise the impact of their projects.</p><p> </p><p>The Taskforce does not produce its own reports or other written materials for publication. However, Government has committed to publishing annual Action Plans until the end of Financial Year 2024/2025, setting out initiatives to meet the Online Media Literacy Strategy’s ambition. All projects funded in relation to the Strategy are evaluated robustly and findings will be published on gov.uk, improving the effectiveness and efficiency of future media literacy initiatives and informing government policy moving forward.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti grouped question UIN 15895 question first answered 01/03/2024 11:41:09 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1692164

registered interest
date	27/02/2024
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	Media Literacy Task Force
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if her Department will publish the recent work of the Media Literacy Taskforce.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	15895
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2024 answer text <p>The Media Literacy Taskforce, a body of 17 media literacy experts drawn from the tech industry, civil society, the press sector and academia, was established in March 2022. DSIT consults the Taskforce on how to tackle the key challenges facing the media literacy landscape, in particular that of how to improve provision for citizens who are disengaged or lack access to support.</p><p> </p><p>For example, the Taskforce played a key role in launching the Media Literacy Taskforce Fund, a grant scheme through which we awarded over £800,000 to four innovative media literacy projects delivered over the financial years 2022/23 and 2023/24. These projects seek to build the online safety and critical thinking skills of users from all age groups, empowering them to respond effectively to the threats posed by mis- and disinformation, along with other online harms. Taskforce members advised the government on which projects should be awarded funding, and then helped grant recipients to maximise the impact of their projects.</p><p> </p><p>The Taskforce does not produce its own reports or other written materials for publication. However, Government has committed to publishing annual Action Plans until the end of Financial Year 2024/2025, setting out initiatives to meet the Online Media Literacy Strategy’s ambition. All projects funded in relation to the Strategy are evaluated robustly and findings will be published on gov.uk, improving the effectiveness and efficiency of future media literacy initiatives and informing government policy moving forward.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti grouped question UIN 15894 question first answered 01/03/2024 11:41:09 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1687831

registered interest
date	06/02/2024
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Text Messaging: Fraud
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress he has made on tackling SIM farms since 3 May 2023.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	13288
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/02/2024 answer text <p>Last week, I joined a City of London Police operation which saw two men arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud. The men were in possession of SIM farms which allow fraudulent texts to be sent to the public.<a href="https://twitter.com/ukhomeoffice/status/1758400939449344029" target="_blank"> <br> </a><br> We must deny criminals access to any tool that allows them to send bulk messages or make scam calls.This is why in May 2023, we consulted on proposals to ban SIM farms. The Government’s response to the consultation is available at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/preventing-the-use-of-sim-farms-for-fraud" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/preventing-the-use-of-sim-farms-for-fraud</a></p><p>We are now taking legislative action to ban “SIM farms”, technical devices that allow criminals to send scam texts to thousands of people at the same time.</p><p>The Criminal Justice Bill introduces a new offence of supplying or possessing SIM farms, without good reason or undertaking adequate due diligence. The measures will also allow the extension of the ban to other technologies that are exploited by criminals to scam the British public, subject to a high level of scrutiny and checks.</p><p>This new offence will make it more difficult for criminals to access and use these devices for the purpose of fraud and will give police the necessary tools to disrupt fraudsters.</p> answering member constituency Tonbridge and Malling answering member printed Tom Tugendhat question first answered 27/02/2024 16:45:04 answering member 4462 label Biography information for Tom Tugendhat
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1687832

registered interest
date	06/02/2024
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Artificial Intelligence: Disinformation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff in his Department are working on countering deepfake material.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	13289
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2024 answer text <p>The Home Office is working closely with law enforcement, international partners, industry and across Government – including with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) as lead Department - to address the risks associated with deepfakes.</p><p>This includes Home Office teams working across crime and policing, national security, immigration and science and technology as well as the Defending Democracy Taskforce. Work on deepfakes forms part of a wider Home Office programme to manage the risks and opportunities from artificial intelligence.</p><p>We are unable to provide figures for departmental staff working on deepfakes as headcount is captured according to crime type, or broader work on artificial intelligence, and not broken down into activities specific to deepfakes.</p> answering member constituency Tonbridge and Malling answering member printed Tom Tugendhat question first answered 19/02/2024 17:35:53 answering member 4462 label Biography information for Tom Tugendhat
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1687833

registered interest
date	06/02/2024
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Disinformation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what support he plans to provide to international partners to tackle (a) disinformation and (b) misinformation in the next 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	13290
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2024 answer text <p>As set out in the Integrated Review Refresh 2023, the FCDO has established a new directorate to increase its capability to assess and respond to the full range of information threats by hostile actors and build international partnerships to work together in tackling these threats.</p><p>The FCDO has established programmes to challenge Russian disinformation activity in Europe. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, we have enhanced these long-standing capabilities to support partner Governments, independent media and civil societies across Europe to challenge and resist Russia's information manipulation and attempts to fracture unity. We have enhanced our partnership with the Government of Ukraine to help them challenge Russian disinformation domestically and internationally. In the coming 12 months we will continue our partnerships with Ukraine and countries across Europe to tackle Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 19/02/2024 08:20:38 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1687834

registered interest
date	06/02/2024
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Afghanistan: Refugees
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure the safety of people in Pakistan previously rejected by the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy who are having applications reconsidered.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	13291
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2024 answer text <p>The UK Government has had constructive and ongoing conversations with the Government of Pakistan to take steps to prevent the deportation Afghans eligible for UK resettlement schemes from Pakistan.</p><p>I have instructed MOD officials to raise awareness of this issue with the Pakistani authorities so that protection from deportation can be extended to those individuals within scope of the forthcoming reassessment of decisions taken on ineligible applications from former members of Afghan specialist units.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wells answering member printed James Heappey grouped question UIN 13292 question first answered 19/02/2024 13:35:59 answering member 4528 label Biography information for James Heappey
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1687836

registered interest
date	06/02/2024
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Afghanistan: Refugees
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure the safety of people in Pakistan who (a) have previously had an application to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme rejected and (b) are waiting for their application to be reconsidered.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	13292
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2024 answer text <p>The UK Government has had constructive and ongoing conversations with the Government of Pakistan to take steps to prevent the deportation Afghans eligible for UK resettlement schemes from Pakistan.</p><p>I have instructed MOD officials to raise awareness of this issue with the Pakistani authorities so that protection from deportation can be extended to those individuals within scope of the forthcoming reassessment of decisions taken on ineligible applications from former members of Afghan specialist units.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wells answering member printed James Heappey grouped question UIN 13291 question first answered 19/02/2024 13:35:59 answering member 4528 label Biography information for James Heappey
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis