Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what his timetable is for bringing forward the necessary legislation to grant the Digital Markets Unit powers required to tackle competition issues posed by tech giants.
Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Home Secretary
The Government consulted on our proposed approach to a new pro-competition regime, overseen by the Digital Markets Unit, last year. The consultation closed in October, and we are carefully considering the responses. We will set out the final design of the regime in our response in due course, and will introduce legislation to put the Digital Markets Unit on a statutory footing as soon as parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he plans to bring forward primary legislative proposals for the relevant statutory framework for the Digital Markets Unit during 2022.
Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Home Secretary
The Government consulted on our proposed approach to a new pro-competition regime, overseen by the Digital Markets Unit, last year. The consultation closed in October, and we are carefully considering the responses. We will set out the final design of the regime in our response in due course, and will introduce legislation to put the Digital Markets Unit on a statutory footing as soon as parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with Ofcom with regard to staff from the regulator moving to jobs at organisations regulated by Ofcom.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
Ofcom is responsible for the recruitment, retention and terms and conditions of its staff and as such is not a matter for the Secretary of State to discuss with Ofcom.
Ofcom has a robust and comprehensive conflict of interest policy, managed and regularly reviewed by its Executive Board, that upholds high regulatory standards of independence, impartiality and integrity. The policy and procedures in place enable Ofcom’s Executive to take swift and appropriate action should a situation emerge where an employee leaves to join a company it regulates.
In the past two years Ofcom has placed circa six staff on immediate garden leave as they have left to join companies which Ofcom regulates or will regulate in the future. Ofcom does not have data immediately available for a five year period but can provide this on request once available.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the number of Ofcom staff who have left Ofcom to work for organisations that are regulated by Ofcom over the last five years.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
Ofcom is responsible for the recruitment, retention and terms and conditions of its staff and as such is not a matter for the Secretary of State to discuss with Ofcom.
Ofcom has a robust and comprehensive conflict of interest policy, managed and regularly reviewed by its Executive Board, that upholds high regulatory standards of independence, impartiality and integrity. The policy and procedures in place enable Ofcom’s Executive to take swift and appropriate action should a situation emerge where an employee leaves to join a company it regulates.
In the past two years Ofcom has placed circa six staff on immediate garden leave as they have left to join companies which Ofcom regulates or will regulate in the future. Ofcom does not have data immediately available for a five year period but can provide this on request once available.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Ofcom’s conflict of interest policies to curb regulators moving to jobs at the organisations that they regulated while at Ofcom.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
Ofcom is responsible for the recruitment, retention and terms and conditions of its staff and as such is not a matter for the Secretary of State to discuss with Ofcom.
Ofcom has a robust and comprehensive conflict of interest policy, managed and regularly reviewed by its Executive Board, that upholds high regulatory standards of independence, impartiality and integrity. The policy and procedures in place enable Ofcom’s Executive to take swift and appropriate action should a situation emerge where an employee leaves to join a company it regulates.
In the past two years Ofcom has placed circa six staff on immediate garden leave as they have left to join companies which Ofcom regulates or will regulate in the future. Ofcom does not have data immediately available for a five year period but can provide this on request once available.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
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 discourage mobile phone companies in the UK from introducing roaming charges in the (a) EU and (b) EEA for UK-based customers.
Answered by Matt Warman
Since the end of the Transition Period the UK is no longer part of Roam Like at Home so surcharge-free roaming for UK consumers in the EU is no longer guaranteed. Mobile operators are now able to impose a surcharge on UK consumers travelling abroad to the EU for their mobile phone usage.
Ministers have regular discussions with senior representatives of mobile operators on a range of issues, including on the issue of mobile roaming, and the government will continue to promote a competitive marketplace that serves the interests of consumers.
Regarding the EEA, the UK recently announced a new agreement with Norway and Iceland for the first ever trade provision which will reciprocally cap the costs mobile operators are allowed to charge each other for international mobile roaming between these countries. This cap is the gateway to allowing surcharge-free roaming for everyone travelling between these countries.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
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 issue a medal to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee on 6 February 2022; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
On Thursday 12 November 2020 plans were announced to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June 2022. This will include the issue of a Platinum Jubilee medal. The medal will be awarded to people who work in public service including representatives of the Armed Forces, the emergency services and the prison services.