Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what powers the Government plans to give to the fake news rapid response unit; and if he will make a statement.
Government Communications falls under the portfolio of the Minister for the Constitution.
As part of the Government’s existing media monitoring and press office arrangements, the team will enhance the Government Communication Service’s continuing efforts to ensure that false or inaccurate news reporting is responded to rapidly and that public debate is as far as possible based on facts.
The team, will act as an extension of the Government’s existing media monitoring and press office arrangements, based in the Cabinet Office, to deal quickly with disinformation and reclaim a fact-based public debate, and has sufficient resources to fulfil this role.