Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to tackle fraudulent advertising that falls outside the scope of the Online Safety Act 2023 provisions to combat paid-for fraudulent advertising on major platforms.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
In 2022, DCMS consulted on the effectiveness of the self-regulatory framework for paid-for online advertising, with responses providing insight on a range of online advertising harms, including fraud. Alongside the consultation, research commissioned from independent digital media consultancy, Spark Ninety, analysed online advertising harms, the online advertising market and regulatory landscape. This included an overview of the open display advertising market and its associated supply chain and harms, including fraudulent advertising.
In addition to the fraudulent advertising duty in the Online Safety Act, the Online Advertising Taskforce, which brings together government and industry, was set up to help address these issues. The Taskforce aims to ensure the UK online advertising industry can grow sustainably while providing the necessary protections for consumers. It is working towards improving transparency, accountability and trust in the online advertising supply chain, continuing to build the evidence base and delivering a programme of work to help address fraudulent and other illegal advertising. It is also working to increase protections against children being served advertising for products and services that may not lawfully be sold to them.
In our manifesto the Government also committed to introducing an expanded Fraud Strategy, covering the continued and modern-day threats our society faces. Development of the strategy has begun and we are considering all harms, including fraudulent online advertising.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (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 fraud on the open display advertising market, and what action they plan to take to address it.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
In 2022, DCMS consulted on the effectiveness of the self-regulatory framework for paid-for online advertising, with responses providing insight on a range of online advertising harms, including fraud. Alongside the consultation, research commissioned from independent digital media consultancy, Spark Ninety, analysed online advertising harms, the online advertising market and regulatory landscape. This included an overview of the open display advertising market and its associated supply chain and harms, including fraudulent advertising.
In addition to the fraudulent advertising duty in the Online Safety Act, the Online Advertising Taskforce, which brings together government and industry, was set up to help address these issues. The Taskforce aims to ensure the UK online advertising industry can grow sustainably while providing the necessary protections for consumers. It is working towards improving transparency, accountability and trust in the online advertising supply chain, continuing to build the evidence base and delivering a programme of work to help address fraudulent and other illegal advertising. It is also working to increase protections against children being served advertising for products and services that may not lawfully be sold to them.
In our manifesto the Government also committed to introducing an expanded Fraud Strategy, covering the continued and modern-day threats our society faces. Development of the strategy has begun and we are considering all harms, including fraudulent online advertising.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the report by the Information Commissioner's Office, Anonymisation: managing data protection risk code of practice, published in November 2012, (1) is still a statutory code of practice, and (2) if anonymising data only in line with the 2012 code, removes all of a data controller’s obligations under the Data Protection Act 2018.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
The ICO Code of Practice on Anonymisation published in November 2012 was issued under the Data Protection Act 1998. That legislation was repealed and replaced by the GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 in May 2018. The 2012 report is therefore no longer a valid code of practice, although information which is anonymous continues to fall outside the scope of the UK’s data protection legislation.
The ICO is currently carrying out a call for views on its new, draft guidance on anonymisation, pseudonymisation, and privacy-enhancing technologies, due to finish on 31 December 2022. This new guidance includes key considerations organisations should undertake when determining whether information can be safely considered anonymous, and therefore outside the scope of data protection legislation.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (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 national communications resilience following completion of the Digital Voice programme.
Answered by Lord Kamall - Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
The UK’s transition from the Public Switched Telecoms Network (PSTN) to IP-based telephony services (such as BT’s Digital Voice programme) is an industry-led migration and does not result or benefit from any government decision or investment. The decision to upgrade the PSTN was taken as the technology it relies upon is now outdated and companies are finding it increasingly difficult to source the spare parts needed to repair it. Whilst BT is subject to the Universal Service Obligation, which requires it to provide telephony services to any premises that requests them, this obligation can be met using any technology.
Despite this, the government recognises the unique importance of the fixed telephone network in the UK, in particular to elderly or vulnerable users and customers of telecoms enabled care services. As a result, the government works closely with telecoms providers and Ofcom to ensure such users are protected and that where possible, customer disruption is minimised. DCMS receives regular updates from telecoms providers about the progress of their migration and any emerging challenges they face.
Ofcom is responsible for ensuring telecoms providers adhere to their regulatory obligations throughout the migration process. It has published guidance on the matter of vulnerable consumers, which states that providers must take steps to identify and protect at-risk consumers throughout the upgrade process. This guidance is available on Ofcom’s website.
In addition, with regard to the issue of network and power resilience, in 2018 Ofcom conducted a consultation with the general public, Ofgem and the wider telecoms sector to assess the impact of the migration on access to the emergency services in the event of a power outage. In light of its findings, Ofcom has stipulated that telecom providers must provide digital voice customers with access to 999 services for a minimum of one hour in the event of a power cut. This is a minimum standard and many providers offer additional resilience options.
The motivations behind BT’s decision to pause its rollout are a private matter for the company. The Government meets regularly with BT to discuss a range of matters including the migration from PSTN to VoIP and DCMS ministers frequently share any concerns they have received from members of the public.
The telecoms sector has proven itself to be extremely robust and there are statutory obligations on telecoms providers to maintain the availability of services and report significant outages to Ofcom. DCMS works closely with the telecommunications industry and Ofcom to ensure the sector remains resilient to all risks that may affect services, including technological transformation. The Government works together with the telecoms industry through the Electronic Communications Resilience & Response Group to agree methods to strengthen telecoms resilience and establish best practice across the sector.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consultation with customers or residents they have required as part of the Digital Voice programme; and what consultation has so far taken place.
Answered by Lord Kamall - Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
The UK’s transition from the Public Switched Telecoms Network (PSTN) to IP-based telephony services (such as BT’s Digital Voice programme) is an industry-led migration and does not result or benefit from any government decision or investment. The decision to upgrade the PSTN was taken as the technology it relies upon is now outdated and companies are finding it increasingly difficult to source the spare parts needed to repair it. Whilst BT is subject to the Universal Service Obligation, which requires it to provide telephony services to any premises that requests them, this obligation can be met using any technology.
Despite this, the government recognises the unique importance of the fixed telephone network in the UK, in particular to elderly or vulnerable users and customers of telecoms enabled care services. As a result, the government works closely with telecoms providers and Ofcom to ensure such users are protected and that where possible, customer disruption is minimised. DCMS receives regular updates from telecoms providers about the progress of their migration and any emerging challenges they face.
Ofcom is responsible for ensuring telecoms providers adhere to their regulatory obligations throughout the migration process. It has published guidance on the matter of vulnerable consumers, which states that providers must take steps to identify and protect at-risk consumers throughout the upgrade process. This guidance is available on Ofcom’s website.
In addition, with regard to the issue of network and power resilience, in 2018 Ofcom conducted a consultation with the general public, Ofgem and the wider telecoms sector to assess the impact of the migration on access to the emergency services in the event of a power outage. In light of its findings, Ofcom has stipulated that telecom providers must provide digital voice customers with access to 999 services for a minimum of one hour in the event of a power cut. This is a minimum standard and many providers offer additional resilience options.
The motivations behind BT’s decision to pause its rollout are a private matter for the company. The Government meets regularly with BT to discuss a range of matters including the migration from PSTN to VoIP and DCMS ministers frequently share any concerns they have received from members of the public.
The telecoms sector has proven itself to be extremely robust and there are statutory obligations on telecoms providers to maintain the availability of services and report significant outages to Ofcom. DCMS works closely with the telecommunications industry and Ofcom to ensure the sector remains resilient to all risks that may affect services, including technological transformation. The Government works together with the telecoms industry through the Electronic Communications Resilience & Response Group to agree methods to strengthen telecoms resilience and establish best practice across the sector.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, as a condition for government investment in the Digital Voice programme, what analogue or other back up plans they have required BT to provide for individual householders in the event of failure or lack of digital services.
Answered by Lord Kamall - Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
The UK’s transition from the Public Switched Telecoms Network (PSTN) to IP-based telephony services (such as BT’s Digital Voice programme) is an industry-led migration and does not result or benefit from any government decision or investment. The decision to upgrade the PSTN was taken as the technology it relies upon is now outdated and companies are finding it increasingly difficult to source the spare parts needed to repair it. Whilst BT is subject to the Universal Service Obligation, which requires it to provide telephony services to any premises that requests them, this obligation can be met using any technology.
Despite this, the government recognises the unique importance of the fixed telephone network in the UK, in particular to elderly or vulnerable users and customers of telecoms enabled care services. As a result, the government works closely with telecoms providers and Ofcom to ensure such users are protected and that where possible, customer disruption is minimised. DCMS receives regular updates from telecoms providers about the progress of their migration and any emerging challenges they face.
Ofcom is responsible for ensuring telecoms providers adhere to their regulatory obligations throughout the migration process. It has published guidance on the matter of vulnerable consumers, which states that providers must take steps to identify and protect at-risk consumers throughout the upgrade process. This guidance is available on Ofcom’s website.
In addition, with regard to the issue of network and power resilience, in 2018 Ofcom conducted a consultation with the general public, Ofgem and the wider telecoms sector to assess the impact of the migration on access to the emergency services in the event of a power outage. In light of its findings, Ofcom has stipulated that telecom providers must provide digital voice customers with access to 999 services for a minimum of one hour in the event of a power cut. This is a minimum standard and many providers offer additional resilience options.
The motivations behind BT’s decision to pause its rollout are a private matter for the company. The Government meets regularly with BT to discuss a range of matters including the migration from PSTN to VoIP and DCMS ministers frequently share any concerns they have received from members of the public.
The telecoms sector has proven itself to be extremely robust and there are statutory obligations on telecoms providers to maintain the availability of services and report significant outages to Ofcom. DCMS works closely with the telecommunications industry and Ofcom to ensure the sector remains resilient to all risks that may affect services, including technological transformation. The Government works together with the telecoms industry through the Electronic Communications Resilience & Response Group to agree methods to strengthen telecoms resilience and establish best practice across the sector.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, as a condition for government investment in the Digital Voice programme, what performance indicators are required relating to access and inclusion for vulnerable customers; and whether an equalities impact assessment has been conducted to measure performance against these indicators.
Answered by Lord Kamall - Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
The UK’s transition from the Public Switched Telecoms Network (PSTN) to IP-based telephony services (such as BT’s Digital Voice programme) is an industry-led migration and does not result or benefit from any government decision or investment. The decision to upgrade the PSTN was taken as the technology it relies upon is now outdated and companies are finding it increasingly difficult to source the spare parts needed to repair it. Whilst BT is subject to the Universal Service Obligation, which requires it to provide telephony services to any premises that requests them, this obligation can be met using any technology.
Despite this, the government recognises the unique importance of the fixed telephone network in the UK, in particular to elderly or vulnerable users and customers of telecoms enabled care services. As a result, the government works closely with telecoms providers and Ofcom to ensure such users are protected and that where possible, customer disruption is minimised. DCMS receives regular updates from telecoms providers about the progress of their migration and any emerging challenges they face.
Ofcom is responsible for ensuring telecoms providers adhere to their regulatory obligations throughout the migration process. It has published guidance on the matter of vulnerable consumers, which states that providers must take steps to identify and protect at-risk consumers throughout the upgrade process. This guidance is available on Ofcom’s website.
In addition, with regard to the issue of network and power resilience, in 2018 Ofcom conducted a consultation with the general public, Ofgem and the wider telecoms sector to assess the impact of the migration on access to the emergency services in the event of a power outage. In light of its findings, Ofcom has stipulated that telecom providers must provide digital voice customers with access to 999 services for a minimum of one hour in the event of a power cut. This is a minimum standard and many providers offer additional resilience options.
The motivations behind BT’s decision to pause its rollout are a private matter for the company. The Government meets regularly with BT to discuss a range of matters including the migration from PSTN to VoIP and DCMS ministers frequently share any concerns they have received from members of the public.
The telecoms sector has proven itself to be extremely robust and there are statutory obligations on telecoms providers to maintain the availability of services and report significant outages to Ofcom. DCMS works closely with the telecommunications industry and Ofcom to ensure the sector remains resilient to all risks that may affect services, including technological transformation. The Government works together with the telecoms industry through the Electronic Communications Resilience & Response Group to agree methods to strengthen telecoms resilience and establish best practice across the sector.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what oversight, if any, they have of BT’s Digital Voice programme; and what accountability measures are in place for key performance indicators.
Answered by Lord Kamall - Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
The UK’s transition from the Public Switched Telecoms Network (PSTN) to IP-based telephony services (such as BT’s Digital Voice programme) is an industry-led migration and does not result or benefit from any government decision or investment. The decision to upgrade the PSTN was taken as the technology it relies upon is now outdated and companies are finding it increasingly difficult to source the spare parts needed to repair it. Whilst BT is subject to the Universal Service Obligation, which requires it to provide telephony services to any premises that requests them, this obligation can be met using any technology.
Despite this, the government recognises the unique importance of the fixed telephone network in the UK, in particular to elderly or vulnerable users and customers of telecoms enabled care services. As a result, the government works closely with telecoms providers and Ofcom to ensure such users are protected and that where possible, customer disruption is minimised. DCMS receives regular updates from telecoms providers about the progress of their migration and any emerging challenges they face.
Ofcom is responsible for ensuring telecoms providers adhere to their regulatory obligations throughout the migration process. It has published guidance on the matter of vulnerable consumers, which states that providers must take steps to identify and protect at-risk consumers throughout the upgrade process. This guidance is available on Ofcom’s website.
In addition, with regard to the issue of network and power resilience, in 2018 Ofcom conducted a consultation with the general public, Ofgem and the wider telecoms sector to assess the impact of the migration on access to the emergency services in the event of a power outage. In light of its findings, Ofcom has stipulated that telecom providers must provide digital voice customers with access to 999 services for a minimum of one hour in the event of a power cut. This is a minimum standard and many providers offer additional resilience options.
The motivations behind BT’s decision to pause its rollout are a private matter for the company. The Government meets regularly with BT to discuss a range of matters including the migration from PSTN to VoIP and DCMS ministers frequently share any concerns they have received from members of the public.
The telecoms sector has proven itself to be extremely robust and there are statutory obligations on telecoms providers to maintain the availability of services and report significant outages to Ofcom. DCMS works closely with the telecommunications industry and Ofcom to ensure the sector remains resilient to all risks that may affect services, including technological transformation. The Government works together with the telecoms industry through the Electronic Communications Resilience & Response Group to agree methods to strengthen telecoms resilience and establish best practice across the sector.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what involvement they have had, if any, in BT’s decision to pause the Digital Voice programme.
Answered by Lord Kamall - Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
The UK’s transition from the Public Switched Telecoms Network (PSTN) to IP-based telephony services (such as BT’s Digital Voice programme) is an industry-led migration and does not result or benefit from any government decision or investment. The decision to upgrade the PSTN was taken as the technology it relies upon is now outdated and companies are finding it increasingly difficult to source the spare parts needed to repair it. Whilst BT is subject to the Universal Service Obligation, which requires it to provide telephony services to any premises that requests them, this obligation can be met using any technology.
Despite this, the government recognises the unique importance of the fixed telephone network in the UK, in particular to elderly or vulnerable users and customers of telecoms enabled care services. As a result, the government works closely with telecoms providers and Ofcom to ensure such users are protected and that where possible, customer disruption is minimised. DCMS receives regular updates from telecoms providers about the progress of their migration and any emerging challenges they face.
Ofcom is responsible for ensuring telecoms providers adhere to their regulatory obligations throughout the migration process. It has published guidance on the matter of vulnerable consumers, which states that providers must take steps to identify and protect at-risk consumers throughout the upgrade process. This guidance is available on Ofcom’s website.
In addition, with regard to the issue of network and power resilience, in 2018 Ofcom conducted a consultation with the general public, Ofgem and the wider telecoms sector to assess the impact of the migration on access to the emergency services in the event of a power outage. In light of its findings, Ofcom has stipulated that telecom providers must provide digital voice customers with access to 999 services for a minimum of one hour in the event of a power cut. This is a minimum standard and many providers offer additional resilience options.
The motivations behind BT’s decision to pause its rollout are a private matter for the company. The Government meets regularly with BT to discuss a range of matters including the migration from PSTN to VoIP and DCMS ministers frequently share any concerns they have received from members of the public.
The telecoms sector has proven itself to be extremely robust and there are statutory obligations on telecoms providers to maintain the availability of services and report significant outages to Ofcom. DCMS works closely with the telecommunications industry and Ofcom to ensure the sector remains resilient to all risks that may affect services, including technological transformation. The Government works together with the telecoms industry through the Electronic Communications Resilience & Response Group to agree methods to strengthen telecoms resilience and establish best practice across the sector.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have (1) to list, (2) to preserve, and (3) to restore, buildings of significance in the fight for women’s suffrage so that these places are not lost for future generations; and what assessment they made of the challenges faced by those seeking to save Dorset Hall, the former home of suffragette Rose Lamartine Yates.
Answered by Lord Kamall - Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
The Department is working through its Arm’s-Length Bodies, Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, to list, preserve, and restore historic buildings of significance to the suffrage movement.
As 2018 marked the centenary of the 1918 Representation of the People Act, Historic England sought, with help from researchers and the public, to commemorate the centenary by highlighting and listing places that played a part in the struggle for suffrage and subsequent gender equality through its ‘HerStories’ campaign. These can be found on Historic England’s website.
Historic England have been engaging with the Local Authority, to help secure the necessary repairs to the historic building of Dorset Hall. Historic England established what essential works were required and provided specialist support and advice to ensure that these identified works were satisfactorily completed by Spring 2022.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund has also supported a range of projects related to the suffragette movement. These include a partnership project led by the East End Women’s Museum to tell the story of the suffragettes in London’s East End; the Rebellious Sounds Archive’s creation of the first oral archive of women’s activism stories in the South West and Rooms of Our Own, an ongoing project being delivered to uncover the history of the Pankhurst Centre, the former home of Emmeline Pankhurst and the place from where the suffragette movement was born.