Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will issue guidance to Ofcom, on (a) adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism and (b) on analysing the behaviour of social media companies on antisemitism.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
As the UK’s communications regulator, Ofcom is independent from government. Regulatory decisions are a matter for Ofcom. Ofcom can have regard to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism when determining complaints about antisemitic material broadcast on television and radio services.
The Government is committed to tackling racism, including the spread of antisemitic content online. In December 2020, we published the Full Government Response to the Online Harms White Paper consultation, which sets out new expectations on companies to keep their users safe online. Under a new legal duty of care, in-scope companies, including social media, will need to tackle illegal antisemitic content and activity on their services.
In addition, companies providing high-risk, high-reach services will need to set clear terms and conditions stating what legal but harmful material they accept (and do not accept) on their service. This may include antisemitic hate speech, which does not meet the threshold of a criminal offence. Companies will need to enforce these terms and conditions consistently and transparently, and could face enforcement action if they do not. All companies in scope will be required to have effective and accessible user reporting and redress mechanisms.
The Online Safety Bill, which will give effect to the regulatory framework outlined in the Full Government Response, including the appointment of Ofcom as the regulator, will be ready this year. There are no plans to issue guidance to Ofcom on analysing the behaviour of social media companies on antisemitism.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
What steps her Department is taking to increase the provision of youth centres.
Answered by Baroness Morgan of Cotes
My Rt Hon Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 30th September a new £500 million Youth Investment Fund, which will be delivered by DCMS. This investment will help build around 60 new youth centres across the country, refurbish around 360 existing youth facilities, and provide over 100 mobile facilities for harder to reach areas.
The fund will also support the provision and coordination of high-quality services for young people, and an investment in the youth workforce.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
Whether he plans to increase the annual turnover limit for society lotteries to £100 million per annum.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The annual sales limit was one of the limits on which the government consulted and that we are considering in our response.
I am still committed to ensuring that the regulatory framework for lotteries is appropriate and that both society lotteries and the National Lottery are able to thrive.
My aim is to allow the society lottery sector to continue to grow, while maintaining the balance between society lotteries and the National Lottery.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to provide financial support for library provision.
Answered by Rob Wilson
The Government recognises the importance of libraries to local communities. Local authorities are responsible for funding library services in England, and made net investment of £701 million in 2015/16. In addition, DCMS has established a £4 million ‘Libraries: Opportunities for Everyone’ fund, managed by the Arts Council and funded a £2.6 million programme to ensure wifi is available in nearly every public library in England.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress he has made on replacing the current horserace betting levy.
Answered by David Evennett
Our aim is to introduce new funding arrangements for British racing by April 2017.
We will create a level playing field for British based and offshore gambling operators, and ensure a fair return from all bookmakers to racing, which has been lost simply because of the shift to remote offshore betting.
Racing will be responsible for making decisions on spending the new fund. We will make a further announcement shortly.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with FIFA on the attempt to expel the Israel Football Association from that organisation.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
No discussion have been held with FIFA regarding any attempts to expel the Israel Football Association from the organisation.