Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the representations they have received from heritage and arts organisations regarding the impact of the "two-week cooling-off period" for charity memberships provided for by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.

The government has consulted on the implementation of the new subscriptions contract regime, including how the cooling off period operates. We are analysing the responses, including submissions from arts and heritage organisations who offer subscription memberships. Officials have also met with representatives and individual organisations in the arts and heritage sector to hear their views.

The impact assessment for subscriptions chapter in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act can be found here: Subscription traps: annex 2 impact assessment. Together the subscription measures are anticipated to provide £400m of consumer benefits per year and the estimated net cost to businesses is £171m per year.