Crime and Policing Bill
Debate between Lord Hanson of Flint and Lord BethellThursday 27th November 2025
(3 days, 7 hours ago)
Lords ChamberRead Full debate Crime and Policing Bill 2024-26 View all Crime and Policing Bill 2024-26 Debates Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts Amendment Paper: HL Bill 111(Corrected)-IV(a) Amendments for Committee (Supplementary to the Fourth Marshalled List) - (26 Nov 2025)
Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)
There are a number of issues before the Committee today and the Government will reflect on all the points that have been mentioned. However, the view at the moment is that these amendments would risk creating significant legal uncertainty by duplicating and potentially undermining aspects of the Online Safety Act.
Lord Bethell (Con)
My Lords, I am enormously grateful to the Minister for reassuring us that all chatbots are captured by the Online Safety Act; that is very good news indeed. Can he reassure us that Ofcom will confirm that in writing to the House? I appreciate that he is a Home Office Minister, but he speaks on behalf of all of government. I think it is fair, given the nature of the Bill, that he seeks an answer from Ofcom in this matter.
Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)
My assessment is that the vast majority of chatbots are captured—