Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
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.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
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.
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.
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.
The introduction of the Bill should be taken as a clear message to companies that they need to begin preparing for regulation now.
Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
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).
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
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.
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.
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.
The introduction of the Bill should be taken as a clear message to companies that they need to begin preparing for regulation now.
Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
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.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
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.
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.
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.
Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether it is possible for Internet Service Providers to block access to a website if a user is accessing it using (1) Domain Name System (DNS) over Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS), or (2) Domain Name System (DNS) over Transport Layer Security (TLS) by, for example, instead relying on Server Name Indication or the Online Certificate Status Protocol.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
His Majesty’s Government takes the introduction of Domain Name System over Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure and over Transport Layer Security seriously, and is concerned about how implementation could affect users’ safety, as well as cybersecurity and the lawful interception of communications. His Majesty’s Government is actively engaging with industry representatives to ensure that it does not cause unintended consequences.
Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to ensure the Urban Forest is preserved in its entirety as stipulated in the Deed of Dedication between the Millennium Commission and Sandwell Metropolitan Council.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The responsibility for enforcing Deeds entered into by the Millennium Commission is now the responsibility of the Big Lottery Fund (operating as The National Lottery Community Fund) which carries out those functions in accordance with their regulations and directions from DCMS and in line with current policies relating to the administration of legacy funders such as the Millennium Commission.
The National Lottery Community Fund is a non-departmental public body which means that it operates at arm’s-length from Government and, as a distributor of Lottery money, rather than of taxpayers’ funds, it makes its funding decisions independently. The Government cannot, therefore, intervene in or influence the Fund’s decision-making process.
Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which (1) body, or (2) bodies, took over the responsibilities of the Millennium Commission when it disbanded in 2006.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Big Lottery Fund (operating as The National Lottery Community Fund) took on the property, rights and liabilities of the Millennium Commission when it ceased to exist by virtue of the National Lottery Act 2006.
The National Lottery Community Fund is a non-departmental public body which means that it operates at arm’s-length from Government and that, as a distributor of Lottery money, rather than of taxpayers’ funds, it makes its funding decisions independently.
Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how the Commonwealth Games creative delivery team will ensure that content reflects diversity and avoids stereotypical imagery.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games ceremonies have been developed by a diverse group of some of the finest creative talents the UK has to offer. This consists of Iqbal Khan as Artistic Director; Maeve Clarke as Writer; Joshua ‘RTKal’ Holness as Music Director; Misty Buckley as Production Designer; Hamish Hamilton as Broadcast Director and Steven Knight CBE as Executive Producer.
They are bringing together some of the city’s most celebrated artists and promoting its emerging talent on a global stage. From Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi to vocalists Indigo Marshall and Gambini, they will welcome the Commonwealth to Birmingham and showcase the very best of the West Midlands and the whole of the UK to a global audience.
Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the make-up of the Commonwealth Games creative delivery team reflects the diversity of the UK.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games ceremonies have been developed by a diverse group of some of the finest creative talents the UK has to offer. This consists of Iqbal Khan as Artistic Director; Maeve Clarke as Writer; Joshua ‘RTKal’ Holness as Music Director; Misty Buckley as Production Designer; Hamish Hamilton as Broadcast Director and Steven Knight CBE as Executive Producer.
They are bringing together some of the city’s most celebrated artists and promoting its emerging talent on a global stage. From Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi to vocalists Indigo Marshall and Gambini, they will welcome the Commonwealth to Birmingham and showcase the very best of the West Midlands and the whole of the UK to a global audience.
Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how the UK’s diversity will be reflected in the opening and closing ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games ceremonies have been developed by a diverse group of some of the finest creative talents the UK has to offer. This consists of Iqbal Khan as Artistic Director; Maeve Clarke as Writer; Joshua ‘RTKal’ Holness as Music Director; Misty Buckley as Production Designer; Hamish Hamilton as Broadcast Director and Steven Knight CBE as Executive Producer.
They are bringing together some of the city’s most celebrated artists and promoting its emerging talent on a global stage. From Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi to vocalists Indigo Marshall and Gambini, they will welcome the Commonwealth to Birmingham and showcase the very best of the West Midlands and the whole of the UK to a global audience.
Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, (1) to renew, or (2) to replace, the Young Audience's Content Fund.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
HM Government is committed to ensuring that young listeners and viewers benefit from a system of public service broadcasting which remains relevant and which can continue to meet the needs of UK audiences in the future. That is why we are conducting a strategic review of public service broadcasting – drawing on the work of Ofcom, Select Committees in both Houses of Parliament, and the Government’s own expert PSB Advisory Panel – to work out how best to achieve this in light of the challenges the sector is currently facing.
The three-year pilot Young Audiences Content Fund was designed to test a new way of financing public service TV content. A full evaluation of the pilot Fund will take place following its conclusion to determine its impact on the children’s television industry and the provision and plurality of public service content for young audiences across the UK. The potential for further investment of public funding will be assessed against the Fund evaluation and alongside future public service broadcasting needs.
The Government is committed to the success of our world-leading TV production sector. UK-wide tax reliefs continue to play a vital role in driving production across children’s, animation, and high-end television, supporting approximately £2.2 billion production spending in these sectors through tax reliefs in 2019 alone. The Government continues to act to support the industry in developing the physical infrastructure and skills pipelines it needs to sustain success - success which has seen 2021 being a record-setting year, with total high-end TV production spend reaching more than £4 billion.