Asked by: Lord Strathcarron (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many pieces of content the National Security Online Information Team has flagged for review by social media platforms in the past 12 months.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
In 2024, 180 examples of content were provided to platforms across national security and public safety risks.
Asked by: Lord Strathcarron (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government how they intend online intermediaries to combat misinformation and disinformation on their websites, as set out in their Draft Statement of Strategic Priorities for online safety, published on 20 November, when this is not explicitly referenced in the Online Safety Act 2023.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Online Safety Act requires companies to take action against mis/disinformation where it constitutes illegal content or content harmful to children. The Act will also ensure platforms are transparent and accountable to their users about what legal content they allow on their services and are consistent in its treatment.
The draft Statement of Strategic Priorities calls for Ofcom to enhance its media literacy initiatives, empowering users to critically assess potentially misleading online content. If Parliament approves the final statement, Ofcom must then set out how it will have regard to the priorities, including those relating to mis/disinformation, when exercising its functions.
Asked by: Lord Strathcarron (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the adequacy of the work of the National Security Online Information Team, and (2) the impact of that work on freedom of speech.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The work and remit of the National Security and Online Information Team (NSOIT) is kept under regular review by ministers. This includes the role which NSOIT played in responding to the recent public disorder following the tragic incident in Southport.
NSOIT’s commitment to protecting freedom of expression is embedded in its policies and practices. For example, NSOIT has a blanket ban on referring content from journalists and politicians to social media platforms. Its privacy notices are available on gov.uk.
Asked by: Lord Strathcarron (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what remit they intend to give to the National Security Online Information Team.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
NSOIT’s remit is to tackle the greatest national security risks and public safety which the UK faces from mis and disinformation. This revised remit is kept under regular review by ministers, including to support recent events surrounding Southport.
Asked by: Lord Strathcarron (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government which abbreviation they prefer to use when referring collectively to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government uses the term LGBT+. This reflects the breadth and diversity of the community as well as the preferences of most LGBT+ people. This term also resonates with language used by international partners and institutions. Whilst this is the Government's standard terminology, there may be occasions where it is appropriate to utilise variations that reflect a different focus.
Asked by: Lord Strathcarron (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many responses they have received to the Department for Health and Social Care's consultation, NHS Constitution: 10 year review, and when they plan to publish their response to the consultation and a summary of responses.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There were 5,255 responses to the standard version of the NHS Constitution consultation, and 79 responses to the easy read version. Officials are currently analysing the responses, and the Government will provide an update on next steps at the earliest opportunity.
Asked by: Lord Strathcarron (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what topics the National Security Online Information Team is currently monitoring.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
NSOIT’s role is to tackle the greatest national security risks facing the UK from mis and disinformation. It specifically looks at threats posed by foreign states, risks to elections and risks arising from the use of AI and deepfakes. This remit is kept under regular review by DSIT’s ministers.
Asked by: Lord Strathcarron (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the National Security Online Information Team flags social media posts that are deemed to be lawful to online platforms for potential breaches of terms of service.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
As is the case with a range of national and international public and academic bodies, DSIT has trusted flagger status with the major social media platforms. The NSOIT is focused on the greatest risks to public safety and national security, which are agreed by ministers and regularly communicated to parliament. In specific circumstances, the NSOIT may flag online material where it is in line with ministerial steers, is on an issue within the team’s remit, and where the post appears to be in breach of the platform’s terms of service. Social media platforms decide whether or not content is a breach of their terms of service and, if so, what action to take.
Asked by: Lord Strathcarron (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that draft NHS guidance stated that "Not everyone who experiences menopause is a woman."
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
NHS England is reviewing its internal policy on menopause, which applies to National Health Service staff. A draft was briefly published in error by NHS England on 13 March 2024. NHS England plans to publish the updated staff policy in the next few weeks. No specific assessment was made by the Government of the draft guidance prior to this.
We have been clear that biological sex matters, and it is important to use language that recognises the separate health and biological needs of men and women. It is also important that health information is provided in language that is inclusive of everyone that needs to hear it, so everyone who can be affected by certain conditions can get the help they need.
Asked by: Lord Strathcarron (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Evans of Rainow on 11 January (HL Deb col 98), what assessment they have made of whether it is appropriate to describe COVID-19 vaccinations as “very safe” given that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's Blue Guide, says that "advertising which states or implies that a product is 'safe' is unacceptable"; and whether they intend to publish the evidence base that supports the claim that the COVID-19 vaccinations are “very safe.”
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
All vaccines used in the United Kingdom must be authorised by the UK’s independent medicines’ regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Each COVID-19 vaccine is only authorised once it has met robust standards of effectiveness, safety, and quality. As with all vaccines and medicines, the safety of COVID-19 vaccines is continuously monitored, and the advice from the MHRA remains that the benefits of vaccination in preventing COVID-19 and serious complications associated with COVID-19 outweigh any currently known side effects in the majority of patients. Information on the characteristics of each vaccine is published by the MHRA on the GOV.UK website. The MHRA’s Blue Guide relates to the advertising and promotion of medicinal products, and in general, debates in Parliament about vaccination are considered to be outside its scope.