Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with Ofcom on the regulation of televised advertisements depicting (a) violent imagery, (b) knifes and (c) other weapons during family viewing hours; and what steps she is taking to ensure such content does not undermine public messaging around knife crime prevention.

Although we have not had specific such conversations with Ofcom, we take the issue seriously. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) co-regulates broadcast advertising under contract with Ofcom and its sister organisation, the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice, sets the advertising codes. The Code requires that advertisements do not cause serious offence or harm, particularly to children under the age of 18, distress the audience without justifiable reason, or condone or encourage violence, crime, disorder or anti-social behaviour. Adverts for offensive weapons are considered unacceptable, and violent material must not be advertised in or adjacent to programmes targeted particularly at audiences below the age of 18. All broadcast advertising is required to be pre-approved through the Clearcast system before it is aired.