Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, whether it is her policy to (a) revoke, (b) retain or (c) replace the Return of Cultural Objects Regulations 1994.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill is part of the Government's commitment to taking the necessary steps to put the UK statute book on a sustainable footing following our exit from the EU. The Bill will make it easier to amend, repeal or replace retained EU law, in the best interests of the UK.
Assessments of the impact of amending, repealing or replacing areas of retained EU law are currently in progress and we will announce our plans in due course.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Retained EU Law Bill, what plans she has to (a) retain (b) revoke or (c) replace the Open Internet Access (EU Regulation) Regulations 2016.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill is part of the government's commitment to taking the necessary steps to update and improve the UK statute book, following our exit from the EU. The Bill will make it easier to amend, repeal or replace REUL, in the best interests of the UK.
The Open Internet Access Regulations, commonly referred to as the ‘net neutrality’ regulations, were designed to encourage an ‘open internet’ where end-users, and not Internet Service Providers (ISPs), control what they see and do online.
Assessments of the impact of amending, repealing or replacing areas of Retained EU Law are currently in progress. We are reviewing REUL carefully to ensure that we take the best approach for each item of REUL in time for the sunset date.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Retained EU Law Bill, what plans he has to (a) retain, (b) revoke or (c) replace the Mobile Roaming (European Communities) Regulations 2007.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Mobile Roaming (European Communities) Regulations 2007 are scheduled to be revoked by The Trade (Mobile Roaming) Regulations 2023, which were presented for laying before parliament on 15 December 2022.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Retained EU Law Bill, whether she plans to (a) revoke, (b) retain or (c) replace Council Regulation (EC) No 116/2009.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Council Regulation (EC) No 116/2009 was revoked by The Export of Objects of Cultural Interest (Control) (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 with effect from the end of the transition period.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, what plans they have to (a) revoke, (b) replace or (c) retain the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill (REUL) is part of the government's commitment to taking the necessary steps to put the UK statute book on a sustainable footing, following our exit from the EU. The Bill will make it easier to amend, repeal or replace REUL, in the best interests of the UK.
We are currently assessing the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 alongside other areas of REUL. The government is committed to supporting digital innovation in the UK.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has plans to (a) reform, (b) revoke or (c) retain the Communications (Access to Infrastructure) Regulations 2016.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In 2020, the Government launched a Review of The Communications (Access to Infrastructure) Regulations 2016 (“ATI Regulations”) to explore whether improvements could be made to further boost investment in infrastructure, and encourage the use of infrastructure sharing to deploy telecoms networks.
In our response to the call for evidence published in June 2020, the Government stated it would not be making any major changes to the ATI Regulations at this time. The Government believed that doing so would be disproportionate given the low levels of interest from industry. However, we have created powers through the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act to change the ATI regulations via secondary legislation in future if necessary.
The Government wants to make it as easy as possible for companies to build out fibre networks. Sharing infrastructure reduces the overall impact on society by reducing the need for new poles or digging out new ducts for cables.
The Government's review of the Access to Infrastructure regulations can be found here.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the e-Commerce Directive and the Retained EU Law Bill, what assessment she has made of the potential increase of litigation against online services if the e-Commerce Directive were to cease to apply in the UK.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill is part of the government's commitment to taking the necessary steps to put the UK statute book on a sustainable footing, following our exit from the EU. The Bill will make it easier to amend, repeal or replace REUL, in the best interests of the UK.
Assessments of the impact of amending, repealing or replacing areas of Retained EU Law are currently in progress.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will set out the process by which her Department is (a) identifying and (b) reviewing retained EU law which may be in scope of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill.
Answered by Paul Scully
DCMS’ work on the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill is coordinated by departmental officials and draws on work from a range of staff in teams across DCMS. This work has been made transparent through the Cabinet Office Retained EU Law (REUL) Dashboard. 35 distinct pieces of REUL have been published on this dashboard.
Since the dashboard was published in June, DCMS continues to review it. Government officials across Whitehall are currently working to quality assure this data and any amendments to the data will be reflected in an update of the dashboard.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the importance of advertising planning notices in local newspapers to (a) the elderly and vulnerable, (b) other local residents and (b) local media organisations.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Local planning authorities are required to publicise certain types of planning applications in local newspapers as set out in Article 15 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015.
We are mindful of the potential impact that any changes to the requirements might have on transparency and local democracy, as well as the potential effect on local newspaper revenue. Indeed the independent Cairncross Review into the future of journalism found that statutory notices, including planning notices, provide an important strand of revenue for many local publishers and that their withdrawal would do serious damage to parts of the sector. We also recognise the importance of local newspapers to communities and the continued need to reach out to people who cannot digitally access information.
Proposals to reform publicity requirements are being considered through the “Planning for the Future” White Paper which aims to make it simpler, quicker and more accessible for local people to engage with the planning system using digital tools. MHCLG is considering consultation responses and will publish a response in due course, and the impact on transparency and local democracy, as well as on local newspaper revenue will be considered before any decisions are taken.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans her Departments has to issue guidance to (a) singers, (b) wind and brass players and (c) other musicians on (i) rehearsals and performances as the covid-19 restrictions are eased and (ii) minimising risks of asymptomatic transmission of covid-19.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
DCMS has worked closely with the Entertainment and Events Working Group to develop guidance which will enable performing artists to train, rehearse and perform safely. The guidance will be published in due course and will include guidance on minimising risk of transmission and supporting singers, wind and brass players and other musicians to return to work in COVID-secure ways.
DCMS is also holding targeted talks with leaders in the orchestra, choral and theatre sectors to better understand how the higher risk of activities like singing and playing of wind/brass instruments can practically be mitigated.