Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help prevent discrimination against women in digital spaces.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Making the online environment a safer and fairer place for women and girls is a priority for this government.
The Online Safety Act has placed a requirement on tech platforms to proactively tackle the most harmful illegal content, much of which disproportionately affects women and girls, including harassment and intimate image abuse.
Ofcom recently published guidance outlining further steps services can take to make their platforms safer for women and girls online. We will be monitoring platforms’ progress closely and working with Ofcom to hold them to account.
The government is developing its wider strategy to tackle violence against women and girls and will publish it in due course.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if the Prime Minister will appoint a space minister in the Ministry of Defence to lead cross-government space policy.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
My noble friend Baroness Lloyd of Effra is the Minister responsible for leading cross government civil space policy.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking with his international counterparts to encourage sustainable uses of space.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government works bilaterally and multilaterally with international partners through the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee to shape and uphold standards, norms and best practices that define the in-orbit regime. We champion adoption of the UN Long-Term Sustainability Guidelines and support capacity-building via the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs to protect access to space for future generations.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of satellite debris falling to earth on the environment.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The UK Space Agency has led global research on the potential environmental impact of satellites burning up in Earth’s atmosphere (atmospheric ablation) through a set of short, complementary research studies. Initial outcomes conclude there is an impact of metals on the atmosphere, but further research is needed to fully identify knowledge gaps and provide a solid evidence base for decision-making.
The Space Industry Act (2018) requires applicants for launch operator and spaceport licences to provide the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) with an assessment of the effects that launches of spacecraft are expected to have on the environment.
The National Space Operations Centre monitors all trackable space objects and provides indicators and warnings of re-entry and projected paths, particularly where objects are expected to have sufficient mass and volume for some or all components to survive to the surface.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with her international counterparts on the regulation of satellites in space.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology leads the UK’s international engagement on the regulation of satellites in space. This includes representation at the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and regular bi-and multi-lateral dialogues with partners at official and ministerial level.
Ofcom, the independent telecommunications regulator sponsored by DSIT, represents UK interests at the International Telecommunication Union, which deals with the international regulation of radio frequency spectrum for space activities. FCDO leads on arms control in space through the UN First Committee.
Ministers and officials will be discussing the regulation of satellites in space as part of the Department's international engagement over the coming months.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if her Department will issue guidance to businesses to protect against cyber-attacks.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government has written to Chairs and CEOs of the largest UK companies and asked them to better identify and protect themselves from cyber threats by making cyber a board-level priority by using the Cyber Governance Code, signing up to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Early Warning service, and requiring Cyber Essentials in supply chains. These actions are relevant to all businesses, who can also help protect themselves by using the wide range of free advice, training and tools available on the NCSC website, including the check your cyber security tool and the Cyber Action Toolkit for small businesses.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many cables his Department has recorded as damaged or suspected of being damaged by Russian ships in (a) the North Sea, (b) the English Channel, (c) the Irish Sea and (d) the North Atlantic in each of the last 24 months.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Accidental cable damage from industrial maritime activity is part of the cable operating ecosystem. There are 65 cables systems connecting to the UK, with 45 of those cables connecting internationally. The large continental shelf and busy maritime sector in the UK mean there are a high number of accidental breaks each year, 12-15 mainly caused by industrial fishing and some from anchor drags or drops, and a small amount by underwater seismic activity. In the UK we have an exemption from permitting for emergency repairs meaning we have the fastest repair time in the world at 5-7 days. The cables provide redundancy for each other as data is diverted along other cables while a cable waits for repair.
We are aware Supporting cable repair industry and working with international partners to deter this activity through initiatives such as the Joint Declaration on cooperation to protect energy and telecommunications infrastructure in the North Sea, NATO’s Baltic Sentry and the Joint Expeditionary Forces Nordic Warden.