Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether officials of the UK Mission to Afghanistan have asked the Taliban to reconsider its decision to ban women from accessing midwifery education.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is deeply concerned at reports of a ban on women accessing medical training in Afghanistan, including midwifery education. We strongly condemn the decision and officials from the Doha-based UK Mission to Afghanistan have met with Taliban leaders to urge them to reverse this decision. We have made clear that this is yet another affront to girls' right to education and will threaten the lives of countless women and girls who will be denied critical medical care, as well as their children. Officials continue to press the Taliban on human rights abuses in Afghanistan.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of deaths associated with online suicide forums in each of the last five years.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold this information centrally.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of UK deaths associated with suicide forums in 2025.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold this information centrally.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the number of deaths associated with pro-anorexia coaches operating online.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT published an impact assessment for the Online Safety Act which contains estimates on the number of firms in scope. DSIT has not made a specific estimate in these areas nor has set specific targets.
The Act will require in-scope services to prevent all users from accessing illegal suicide and self-harm content including illegal eating disorder content, as well as protecting children from legal content which encourages, promotes or provides instruction for suicide, self-injury or eating disorders online.
Ofcom, responsible for the Act’s implementation, will provide guidance or codes of practice relating to the safety duties.
DSIT is developing a framework to evaluate the Act’s implementation and core outcomes.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what guidance he plans to issue on whether seeking a suicide partner online is regulated under the Online Safety Act 2023.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT published an impact assessment for the Online Safety Act which contains estimates on the number of firms in scope. DSIT has not made a specific estimate in these areas nor has set specific targets.
The Act will require in-scope services to prevent all users from accessing illegal suicide and self-harm content including illegal eating disorder content, as well as protecting children from legal content which encourages, promotes or provides instruction for suicide, self-injury or eating disorders online.
Ofcom, responsible for the Act’s implementation, will provide guidance or codes of practice relating to the safety duties.
DSIT is developing a framework to evaluate the Act’s implementation and core outcomes.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential (a) implications for his policies of the number of pro-anorexia coaches and (b) impact of such coaches on mental health services.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT published an impact assessment for the Online Safety Act which contains estimates on the number of firms in scope. DSIT has not made a specific estimate in these areas nor has set specific targets.
The Act will require in-scope services to prevent all users from accessing illegal suicide and self-harm content including illegal eating disorder content, as well as protecting children from legal content which encourages, promotes or provides instruction for suicide, self-injury or eating disorders online.
Ofcom, responsible for the Act’s implementation, will provide guidance or codes of practice relating to the safety duties.
DSIT is developing a framework to evaluate the Act’s implementation and core outcomes.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has set a target for reduction in the numbers of deaths by suicide associated with suicide forums following full implementation of the Online Safety Act 2023.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT published an impact assessment for the Online Safety Act which contains estimates on the number of firms in scope. DSIT has not made a specific estimate in these areas nor has set specific targets.
The Act will require in-scope services to prevent all users from accessing illegal suicide and self-harm content including illegal eating disorder content, as well as protecting children from legal content which encourages, promotes or provides instruction for suicide, self-injury or eating disorders online.
Ofcom, responsible for the Act’s implementation, will provide guidance or codes of practice relating to the safety duties.
DSIT is developing a framework to evaluate the Act’s implementation and core outcomes.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) suicide and (b) eating disorder forums accessible to UK internet users.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT published an impact assessment for the Online Safety Act which contains estimates on the number of firms in scope. DSIT has not made a specific estimate in these areas nor has set specific targets.
The Act will require in-scope services to prevent all users from accessing illegal suicide and self-harm content including illegal eating disorder content, as well as protecting children from legal content which encourages, promotes or provides instruction for suicide, self-injury or eating disorders online.
Ofcom, responsible for the Act’s implementation, will provide guidance or codes of practice relating to the safety duties.
DSIT is developing a framework to evaluate the Act’s implementation and core outcomes.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish his Department's final delivery plan on myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The final myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), delivery plan is a priority for the Department, and we aim to publish it in March 2025. We cannot comment on the exact content of the final delivery plan at this time, but it will be shaped by the consultation responses, along with continued close engagement with ME/CFS stakeholders, with three broad themes of attitudes and education, research, and living with ME/CFS.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on coroners’ reports of deaths associated with online suicide forums.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice has worked closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on measures to support coroners when investigating child deaths, including those by suicide.
Measures in the Online Safety Act 2023 give OFCOM the power to require regulated online platforms to provide them with information on a child’s use of their platform, when a coroner gives notice that such information is required for an investigation into the death of a child.
The Data (Use and Access) Bill, which is currently before Parliament, contains provisions to enable coroners to require relevant online services to retain data relating to a child’s online activity, where the coroner considers this may be relevant to an investigation into a child’s death. This is facilitated through the coroner giving notice to OFCOM, enabling them to direct the relevant services to secure the data so that it will be available upon request, should the coroner later require it as part of their investigation.