Asked by: John Nicolson (Scottish National Party - Ochil and South Perthshire)
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 local authorities to raise awareness of the benefits of gigabit broadband.
Answered by Matt Warman
Local authorities play a critical role in the deployment of gigabit broadband and my Department regularly engages with local stakeholders on the benefits that this infrastructure brings.
In addition to an online portal that we have already created to assist local authorities in rolling out gigabit broadband, DCMS is developing a 'Gigabit toolkit' to support local bodies in raising awareness and understanding of the benefits of gigabit connectivity among local residents and businesses. We will work closely with local bodies and other key sector stakeholders to help inform and shape the content.
My Department is also running several specialist programmes with local authorities on key issues, such as land access, planning and the Electronic Communications Code, and we continue to work closely with councils on issues relating to street works, 5G roll out and consumer take-up.
This engagement includes not only individual and combined authorities themselves, but also wider bodies such as the Local Government Association, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Joint Authorities Group.
Asked by: John Nicolson (Scottish National Party - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on regulating the sale of unsafe goods on online marketplaces.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Government is committed to tackling the sale of unsafe goods online. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is responsible for product safety regulation. OPSS is reviewing the UK Product Safety framework to ensure it is fit for purpose, protects consumers, and enables businesses to innovate and grow.
DCMS Ministers and officials have regular meetings and discussions with a wide range of stakeholders, including the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on a variety of issues, including the regulation of the sale of unsafe goods on online marketplaces.
Asked by: John Nicolson (Scottish National Party - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans his Department has to ensure that consumers that own products which fail the basic requirements set out in the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill will be entitled to effective redress.
Answered by Matt Warman
The government has a strong history of protecting consumer rights. The UK has an existing framework of laws, such as the Consumer Rights Act 2015 which requires goods and services to be of satisfactory, as described and fit for a particular purpose if that purpose was made known to the trader by the consumer. Failure to meet these requirements means a consumer has a right to reject the goods and ask for a refund, repair or replacement. The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill will fit within this legal framework and builds on the existing governance model for consumer protection by following this model for product security.
Asked by: John Nicolson (Scottish National Party - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to place additional obligations on online marketplaces as part of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill to prevent dangerous and insecure products being sold on those platforms.
Answered by Matt Warman
All connected consumer products sold in the UK will have to comply with the cyber security requirements set out in the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill. Where a product is sold on a third party online marketplace, the seller will be responsible for ensuring that the product is compliant. On the wider issue of product safety, the Office for Product Safety and Standards is currently conducting a review of the product safety framework to ensure it is simple, flexible and fit for the future, delivering safety for consumers and supporting businesses to innovate and grow. The Review will consider the impact on product safety of non-traditional business models, including third-party sales conducted online.
Asked by: John Nicolson (Scottish National Party - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the extent to which the current Electronic Communications Code enables alternative telecoms operators to use Ofcom’s Duct & Pole Access remedy in Scotland.
Answered by Matt Warman
The Department has recently consulted regarding changes to the Electronic Communications Code through a public consultation which closed on 24 March 2021. That consultation included questions specifically about operator rights to upgrade and share apparatus. Responses to that consultation are being considered and legislative proposals will be laid before this House in due course.
Asked by: John Nicolson (Scottish National Party - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to amend the Electronic Communications Code to ensure that alternative telecoms operators benefit from an existing wayleave agreement when accessing existing ducts or poles on private land in Scotland in order to roll out gigabit capable networks.
Answered by Matt Warman
The Department has recently consulted regarding changes to the Electronic Communications Code through a public consultation which closed on 24 March 2021. That consultation included questions specifically about operator rights to upgrade and share apparatus. Responses to that consultation are being considered and legislative proposals will be laid before this House in due course.
Asked by: John Nicolson (Scottish National Party - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to amend the Electronic Communications Code to apply paragraph 17 automatic upgrading and sharing rights to Code agreements concluded before 2017.
Answered by Matt Warman
The Department has recently consulted regarding changes to the Electronic Communications Code through a public consultation which closed on 24 March 2021. That consultation included questions specifically about operator rights to upgrade and share apparatus. Responses to that consultation are being considered and legislative proposals will be laid before this House in due course.
Asked by: John Nicolson (Scottish National Party - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that the Charity Commission monitors the LGB Alliance’s revised social media policy to ensure that it meets ethical standards under law.
Answered by Matt Warman
As an independent regulator, the Charity Commission for England and Wales (“the Commission”) is not subject to Ministerial or Government direction or control; it is accountable to the courts for its legal decisions.
The Commission has set out its decision to register the LGB Alliance in a detailed paper which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lgb-alliance/lgb-alliance-full-decision
The Commission concluded that the LGB Alliance is established for exclusively charitable purposes, in accordance with the legal framework and based on the evidence received.
During the registration process, the Commission took account of guidance from the Government Equality Office and the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which informed its consideration of the Public Sector Equality Duty, and equality law issues. The Commission’s published decision addressed allegations that LGB Alliance unlawfully discriminates against transgender people under the Equality Act 2010.
The Commission’s published decision is clear that no charity should undermine the rights of others in promoting the rights of one or more group. If any charity undertakes activity that gives rise to concerns about the denigration of human rights then the Commission will consider taking regulatory action. To the extent that matters considered by the Commission during the course of its registration case or in future constitute matters of regulatory concern, these will be addressed appropriately by the Commission in line with its risk and regulatory framework.
Asked by: John Nicolson (Scottish National Party - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department has plans to assess whether the Charity Commission appropriately complied with the Public Sector Equality Duty in giving the LGB Alliance charitable status.
Answered by Matt Warman
As an independent regulator, the Charity Commission for England and Wales (“the Commission”) is not subject to Ministerial or Government direction or control; it is accountable to the courts for its legal decisions.
The Commission has set out its decision to register the LGB Alliance in a detailed paper which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lgb-alliance/lgb-alliance-full-decision
The Commission concluded that the LGB Alliance is established for exclusively charitable purposes, in accordance with the legal framework and based on the evidence received.
During the registration process, the Commission took account of guidance from the Government Equality Office and the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which informed its consideration of the Public Sector Equality Duty, and equality law issues. The Commission’s published decision addressed allegations that LGB Alliance unlawfully discriminates against transgender people under the Equality Act 2010.
The Commission’s published decision is clear that no charity should undermine the rights of others in promoting the rights of one or more group. If any charity undertakes activity that gives rise to concerns about the denigration of human rights then the Commission will consider taking regulatory action. To the extent that matters considered by the Commission during the course of its registration case or in future constitute matters of regulatory concern, these will be addressed appropriately by the Commission in line with its risk and regulatory framework.
Asked by: John Nicolson (Scottish National Party - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure that musicians and artists resident in (a) UK and (b) EU countries are able to tour and perform in (i) EU countries and (ii) the UK respectively without visa requirements following the end of the transition period.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The Government recognises the importance of touring for UK musicians and other creative professionals. We acknowledge that there will be some additional processes for those in creative industries working across the EU now that the transition period has come to an end. However, our agreement with the EU contains Transparency and Procedural Facilitation measures that will help ensure visa processes are as prompt and smooth as possible.
During our negotiations with the EU, the UK proposed measures, reflecting the views of the music industry itself, that would have allowed musicians to travel and perform in the UK and the EU more easily, without needing work-permits. Specifically, we proposed to capture the work done by musicians, artists and entertainers, and their accompanying staff through the list of permitted activities for short-term business visitors.
In practice this would have delivered an outcome that is closer to the UK’s approach to incoming musicians, artists and entertainers from non-visa national countries, such as EU Member States and the US, who can come to perform in the UK without requiring a visa. Unfortunately, these proposals were repeatedly rejected by the EU.
The EU did not propose and wouldn’t accept a tailored deal for musicians, artists and their support staff to tour across the EU and UK.
Going forward, we will continue our close dialogue with the creative and cultural sectors to ensure that they have the support they need to thrive.The Government recognises the importance of touring for UK musicians and other creative professionals, and has engaged extensively with the creative industries and arts sector since the announcement of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement to ensure they are aware of the new requirements.