Oral Answers to Questions

Hugh Gaffney Excerpts

Wednesday 3rd July 2019 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I am sure we all want to send our deepest sympathies to Kirsty’s family and friends. We are determined to make sure that the UK is the safest place to be online, which involves tackling content that encourages suicide and self-harm. Working with the tech companies to get them to accept greater responsibility for the sort of material that is put out across their platforms has been a long-standing issue.

We have seen some tech companies take action to tackle the issue, and we want to ensure a more consistent response from companies to protect the safety and wellbeing of their users, especially those who are vulnerable. I know that the Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Jackie Doyle-Price), who has responsibility for suicide prevention, is aware of this aspect of online content. She is deeply concerned, and she will be writing to Amazon about it.

[Hugh Gaffney (Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill) (Lab)]

Q8. A promise was made to pensioners at the last general election that the Conservative party would protect free TV licences until the end of this Parliament. That promise has now been broken, and pensioners like my dad will pay the price. My dad will turn 90 in a few weeks’ time, and the TV is his main source of company. Like many other pensioners up and down the country, the TV is his companion.Prime Minister, in your last act before you stand down, will you return the free licence to the pensioners of this country?

[The Prime Minister]

First, may I send my very best wishes to the hon. Gentleman’s father for a happy birthday in a few weeks’ time?

The BBC received a good funding deal from the Government, and many people would ask why the BBC can raise the salary bill for its top performers and personalities while taking the action it has taken on TV licences. The BBC needs to think again.