Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Tuesday 20th October 2026
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11:33
Speaker 1
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Speaker 1
Eliminate the risk on the online world. How do we also recognize that the online world lives and die by suicide because of harmful content? So it's around how do we plays a big role in some of the technology advancements and changes that we are seeing now? It's about responsible social media companies working with the UK government to ensure that our elections are free and fair and free from foreign interference. So that's an ongoing discussion, and it's something that I'll definitely be pushing very hard with colleagues in DCMs and Home Office. So a recommendation was made by the Electoral Commission to kind of address some of this, particularly on standards in public life.
Just wanted to explore where the government's appetite is on this. It's essentially recommending social media companies to take more action, particularly when maintaining political advertising of libraries. It's something I remember looking at quite a number of years ago, and unless we actually mandate social media companies to do it, they're not going to do it on their own back. So does the government intend to legislate them to do this?
Just wanted to explore where the government's appetite is on this. It's essentially recommending social media companies to take more action, particularly when maintaining political advertising of libraries. It's something I remember looking at quite a number of years ago, and unless we actually mandate social media companies to do it, they're not going to do it on their own back. So does the government intend to legislate them to do this?
11:34
Speaker 2
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Speaker 2
So I know that we've seen some of the social media platforms. Again, this is not about saying that they're all bad. There are some that are doing some good work who are working and cooperating with government and the electoral commission. So, for example, Meta and Google now have a publicly available and accessible political adverts library where you can see in terms of that transparency, you can see where those ads are going. Just in point in answering your question, chair, the government has no plans in terms of introducing a database at this time, but I think it's these are ongoing areas that we'll continue to discuss with the relevant social media companies.
11:34
Speaker 1
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Speaker 1
It's about recommending social media companies to have that advertising. I think it's good. Anecdotally, I mean, voluntary. Some companies are doing this media literacy. We do have a massive battle to face because the closest I've seen to people really understanding the risks that are available is, you know, war games on Sky. Don't know if anyone's seen that, but I just feel that social media companies, because when you look at the data, particularly on Ofcom's annual survey, so many young people, particularly those people we're looking to target for votes at 16, get most of their information on social media.
So that would be the first point that people go to in terms of social media companies. So it would be good if the government can consider making a requirement on with these platforms in terms of media literacy. So I don't know where you are in terms of exploring that.
So that would be the first point that people go to in terms of social media companies. So it would be good if the government can consider making a requirement on with these platforms in terms of media literacy. So I don't know where you are in terms of exploring that.
11:35
Speaker 2
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Speaker 2
No, I think it's around how we improve on social media literacy in and around elections and outside of elections time. So we've got building on the response of the growing up in an online world consultation where we are looking at expanding support not just for children, but for parents as well, parents and carers, it's important that they're able to recognise some of the risks being posed on the online safety world. It's around some of the new resources on the AI, AI safety, which again, I know that the minister will will be looking at that, and I think it's continuing these conversations and not and recognising that these conversations need to happen, not just in the classroom.
That's a good place to start, but outside as well, where young people are getting their information. So working with the Electoral Commission and other groups in terms of making sure that media literacy and online safety programme is developed in a way that young people are able to identify any potential risks and, and deepfake going forward.
That's a good place to start, but outside as well, where young people are getting their information. So working with the Electoral Commission and other groups in terms of making sure that media literacy and online safety programme is developed in a way that young people are able to identify any potential risks and, and deepfake going forward.
11:37
11:37
Speaker 3
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Speaker 3
Thank you. So my questions are about next set of questions about electoral law, which. Is complex, voluminous, fragmented. I think the Electoral Commission have said that there's over 100 pieces of electoral legislation now. There are differences in reporting requirements between different types of elections, difference in statutory time, limits on when you need to do expense returns, for example, between town and parish council elections and borough elections. It's it's a complete nightmare for agents. It's a complete nightmare for electoral administrators. And when we've introduced new elected roles like police and crime commissioners and things like that, quite often what previous governments have done is they've just copied and pasted the 1983 act.
So we ended up with we've ended up with duplicate legislation on the statute book. Now, the Electoral Commission has called for a piece of work to to begin to begin the process of consolidating electoral law. Do you accept that that's necessary, and are you able to commit to it?
So we ended up with we've ended up with duplicate legislation on the statute book. Now, the Electoral Commission has called for a piece of work to to begin to begin the process of consolidating electoral law. Do you accept that that's necessary, and are you able to commit to it?
11:38
Speaker 2
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Speaker 2
Mr. Cooper, my intro is the new minister has been very busy, and I think what I'm keen to do in this new role is ensuring that the major manifesto commitments are set up by the government on votes at 16, and some of the other changes from the back of the independent Ryecroft review are enacted as soon as possible. So that's one of the key things that I'm focusing on. I think you are correct in terms of the very complicated system we have in UK electoral law and run into millions of pages. And I think, if we're honest, a full scale review and consolidation will take a very long time.
It's something that will require major legislation. It's something that will require cross-party support as well, and an in-depth review which based on my my knowledge of this piece of legislation, I think it may also require more than one Parliament in terms of changing electoral law. So I think my my ultimate my ultimate role at the moment is ensuring that the current representation of people's bill is in place, that we enfranchise young people before the next general election. And looking at some of the stuff on the Radcliffe Review before we open the can of worms that is UK electoral law.
It's something that will require major legislation. It's something that will require cross-party support as well, and an in-depth review which based on my my knowledge of this piece of legislation, I think it may also require more than one Parliament in terms of changing electoral law. So I think my my ultimate my ultimate role at the moment is ensuring that the current representation of people's bill is in place, that we enfranchise young people before the next general election. And looking at some of the stuff on the Radcliffe Review before we open the can of worms that is UK electoral law.
11:39
Speaker 3
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Speaker 3
Thanks, Minister. I completely understand that you need to prioritise and certainly you need to prioritise what's in our manifesto. I wonder, though, if you would agree that with 12 pieces of primary legislation, 15 pieces of secondary legislation for the 2026 local elections, that this might risk resilience at a time when it's when it's needed most. And I wonder whether, is this not a piece of work that the Law Commission were made for? I mean, where we've had complex areas like this in other in other areas that the Mhclg are looking at, in particular around some of the stuff under Minister Penicuik's purview, he's asked the Law Commission to take it away and come back with, in a few years time with with a bill that can be presented to the Lords, is this is this not a prime candidate for that, given what we're talking about is lots of duplicate legislation that just needs to be consolidated together.
It's a conversation we have frequently with the Electoral Commission on this particular issue. And so we're sort of we're very alive to the challenges. I completely take the point in terms of the list of the number of pieces of legislation and what we have tried to do over the course of at least the time I've been in this post, is to make sure that the guidance that is provided to agents, to political parties is as clear as possible in helping to guide people through the respective pieces of legislation. The minister is completely right, though. This is an incredibly complex piece of work which would take a great deal of time to take forward.
I take your point, Mr. Cooper, about the role of the Law Commission. I sort of respectfully say, respectfully say, I think this is a even more complex piece of work which will take many years to take forward. I think all I can say for now is we have heard the the concerns that people have raised in a number of different areas. We will keep it under very close review, and there is a strength of the argument that this should be looked at in due course. Thank you. Mr.. I think I would be I would gently caution you against saying it's more complicated than leasehold in the presence of the law commissioners working on it, but it's each to their own domain of expertise.
Final question from me. The previous government increased the amount of that the Electoral Commission could spend on awareness raising activity. Following the passage of the Elections Act 22, we are significantly expanding the franchise by introducing votes at 16. I wonder if you were planning on similar measures following the passage of the representation of the people's Bill.
It's a conversation we have frequently with the Electoral Commission on this particular issue. And so we're sort of we're very alive to the challenges. I completely take the point in terms of the list of the number of pieces of legislation and what we have tried to do over the course of at least the time I've been in this post, is to make sure that the guidance that is provided to agents, to political parties is as clear as possible in helping to guide people through the respective pieces of legislation. The minister is completely right, though. This is an incredibly complex piece of work which would take a great deal of time to take forward.
I take your point, Mr. Cooper, about the role of the Law Commission. I sort of respectfully say, respectfully say, I think this is a even more complex piece of work which will take many years to take forward. I think all I can say for now is we have heard the the concerns that people have raised in a number of different areas. We will keep it under very close review, and there is a strength of the argument that this should be looked at in due course. Thank you. Mr.. I think I would be I would gently caution you against saying it's more complicated than leasehold in the presence of the law commissioners working on it, but it's each to their own domain of expertise.
Final question from me. The previous government increased the amount of that the Electoral Commission could spend on awareness raising activity. Following the passage of the Elections Act 22, we are significantly expanding the franchise by introducing votes at 16. I wonder if you were planning on similar measures following the passage of the representation of the people's Bill.
11:42
11:42
11:42
Speaker 1
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Speaker 1
Thank you for that. I've just got some follow up actions, which I would like you to write to the Committee on. So we had asked some questions on automatic voter registration, particularly where it's been piloted in Wales specifically. Just wanted to know a bit more about what has come out of that, and a bit more information about the pilot work that you'll be looking to do. There was a bit that Lewis and Lee also discussed about the constituency, in terms of it being, if the pilot was done in one borough, how it may impact another borough in terms of the outcome and also the capacity of local authorities.
If we could just have if you could reassure us that this has been looked into, then you said you also take back the questions raised, particularly in relation to the Online Safety Act, because some of it overlaps with DCMs. If you could write to us about about that and particularly interested in a bit more information about this National Centre for information, which was announced last year, last month in September, just how that's going to work and really, particularly as a committee, how we can play a role in this, because I know that opposition leaders have been invited to this.
But if we're going to be scrutinising elements of what Mhclg is doing, it's important that we know what's going on behind the scenes so we can add to it in terms of the work that we're doing in terms of scrutiny. And then just timescales about some of the stuff that the Electoral Commission is doing, particularly in terms of donations. We know that a piece of work has been given to the Electoral Commission to do stuff on the unregulated and regulated period. I think you said you'll get back to us about the timescales on that, I don't think.
Have I missed anything else out? But thank you so much for coming. We're looking forward to seeing you regularly. Is it going to be monthly? So yeah, thanks for that. Order, order.
If we could just have if you could reassure us that this has been looked into, then you said you also take back the questions raised, particularly in relation to the Online Safety Act, because some of it overlaps with DCMs. If you could write to us about about that and particularly interested in a bit more information about this National Centre for information, which was announced last year, last month in September, just how that's going to work and really, particularly as a committee, how we can play a role in this, because I know that opposition leaders have been invited to this.
But if we're going to be scrutinising elements of what Mhclg is doing, it's important that we know what's going on behind the scenes so we can add to it in terms of the work that we're doing in terms of scrutiny. And then just timescales about some of the stuff that the Electoral Commission is doing, particularly in terms of donations. We know that a piece of work has been given to the Electoral Commission to do stuff on the unregulated and regulated period. I think you said you'll get back to us about the timescales on that, I don't think.
Have I missed anything else out? But thank you so much for coming. We're looking forward to seeing you regularly. Is it going to be monthly? So yeah, thanks for that. Order, order.