Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make it her policy to regulate small forums that share (a) antisemitic hatred and (b) instructional content on methods of suicide to the fullest extent possible under the powers available to her in the Online Safety Act 2023; and what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies on that matter of Ofcom's advice of 29 February 2024 on the use of powers under that Act.

Answered by Saqib Bhatti - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)

The Secretary of State is considering in detail the advice that Ofcom has provided. The Secretary of State will make regulations as soon as reasonably practicable, in line with Schedule 11 of the Act.

More broadly, all user-to-user services in scope of the Online Safety Act – including online forums of any size – will be required to comply with the illegal safety duties and take steps to remove illegal content. The strongest protections in the Act are for children and where these services are likely to be accessed by children, they must also protect children from a wider range of harmful content. Targeted duties on search services, to minimise illegal search results, will also reduce traffic to websites, including online forums, that host illegal material.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will take steps under the powers available to her as set out in Schedule 11(1)(b) of the Online Safety Act to bring forward legislative proposals setting category 1 threshold conditions in relation to small forums that share (a) antisemitic hatred and (b) suicide methods.

Answered by Saqib Bhatti - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)

The Secretary of State is considering in detail the advice that Ofcom has provided. The Secretary of State will make regulations as soon as reasonably practicable, in line with Schedule 11 of the Act.

More broadly, all user-to-user services in scope of the Online Safety Act – including online forums of any size – will be required to comply with the illegal safety duties and take steps to remove illegal content. The strongest protections in the Act are for children and where these services are likely to be accessed by children, they must also protect children from a wider range of harmful content. Targeted duties on search services, to minimise illegal search results, will also reduce traffic to websites, including online forums, that host illegal material.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he plans to take steps in response to reports of alleged anti-Semitic language used by the Palestinian Authority Minister of Religious Affairs and Endowments Mohammad Mustafa Najem in 2002.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

We are aware of historic allegations of use of anti-semitic language. Antisemitism is abhorrent and has absolutely no place in our or any society, and we are committed to tackling it in all its forms.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what steps he is taking to support Israeli military operations against Hamas.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

Israel suffered an appalling terrorist attack on 7 October - the deadliest in its history. As we have said from the outset, Israel has the right to defend itself in accordance with international humanitarian law, and Hamas must release the hostages immediately.

We will continue to call for the immediate release of all hostages. Nothing can justify their continued detention. Their families are showing great courage in horrific circumstances. We want to see a deal agreed that would ensure the release of hostages and a pause in the fighting.

We are clear that building momentum towards a lasting peace will require the release of all hostages, the removal of Hamas' capacity to launch attacks against Israel, Hamas no-longer being in charge of Gaza, the formation of a new Palestinian Government for the West Bank and Gaza accompanied by an international support package, and a political horizon to a two-state solution.