Children: Age Verification and Virtual Private Networks

Lord Markham Excerpts

Thursday 4th December 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

We have ensured that Ofcom is resourced to implement its online safety duties and have increased the amount available to it year on year; its budget is, I think, £92 million to support all its Online Safety Act responsibilities. We believe that it has the resources it needs to effectively implement and supervise the Online Safety Act.

[Lord Markham (Con)]

Following on from noble Lords’ comments, to me it is quite clear that Ofcom has a lot of the powers necessary to restrict underage usage but seems to lack the will. That was abundantly clear from the Radio 4 interview this morning. My experience in such matters is that the Ofcom leadership really needs to understand the strength of feeling in this House and Parliament as a whole—that they need to be more robust in enforcement. Will the Minister agree to arrange a meeting with the Ofcom CEO and key Lords here today so that we can fully hold Ofcom to account on this?

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

The noble Lord makes an important point about the strength of feeling here, which was replicated in the discussions yesterday in the Select Committee. I am very happy to take forward his request to set up a meeting with Ofcom.