Digital Safety: Children

Chris Webb Excerpts

Monday 8th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Kanishka Narayan]

I thank the hon. Member for her question. Let me give a very clear sense of that outcome and how we will measure it. Currently, 91% of the images used in child sexual abuse interactions are self-generated. To me, that is the central focus for what this Government are doing. We have already made a significant difference, as I have said, in ensuring that our robust engagement delivered a pioneering change to a major operating system. If this change is not delivered within weeks, we will ensure that the full force of the law delivers such an outcome.

[Chris Webb (Blackpool South) (Lab)]

There is growing evidence of a link between smartphone overuse and symptoms of depression and anxiety and reduced student performance, and areas such as Blackpool are seeing double the national average of young people self-harming. What steps will my hon. Friend take to ensure that device-level controls are effective and easy to use for parents who may not be tech savvy?

[Kanishka Narayan]

A fundamental principle behind both the changes announced today and those we are considering as a result of the consultation is simplicity. Parents across the country tell me that they are working incredibly hard to try to keep up with the technology, but the technology continues to make it more difficult rather than easier for them to exercise control. That principle will motivate our actions, and we will ensure that this is easy and effective, and that the burden of liability falls on platforms, not parents.

Music Streaming: Label-led Principles

Chris Webb Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Chris Bryant]

The point I made about the remuneration of musicians, and all forms of artists, applies equally to streaming and to AI. The Secretaries of State for Culture, Media and Sport and for Science, Innovation and Technology held their first meeting last week with the creative industries and AI companies to discuss how we proceed on the issue of AI and copyright. There is a broadly outlined set of principles, one of which is undoubtedly that those who made the original work must be remunerated when it is used to create some other form of work and some other form of value.

I agree with my hon. Friend on his point about empty spaces on the Opposition Benches—empty chairs at empty tables.

[Chris Webb (Blackpool South) (Lab)]

Today’s news is great, especially for the artists and musicians in my constituency who regularly play at the Bootleg, a fantastic venue that we must ensure stays open for future generations to enjoy as my dad and I have enjoyed it. What plans are in place to engage with artists, representatives and the trade unions to ensure that today’s welcome changes deliver meaningful improvements for artists at all stages of their careers?

[Chris Bryant]

It is good to see my hon. Friend in his place. I gather that the pier is for sale—

[Chris Webb]

indicated assent.

[Chris Bryant]

I am not sure whether he is intending to buy it himself. Of course, many acts have appeared on the pier over the years.

My hon. Friend makes the point again about the importance of having small venues where people can perform to start and build their career and end up as the kind of household successes that we know. Not everybody will earn millions from music, but we do want many more people to be able to make a decent living out of their music in the UK. Establishing good terms of trade and having a strong copyright regime is absolutely key to delivering that. The Musicians’ Union was a key part of the discussions that we held throughout the last year.