Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps is he taking to protect children and young people from the potential adverse effects of alcohol marketing.
Answered by Margot James
Advertising in the United Kingdom is regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority, the industry’s independent regulator, who enforce the Advertising Codes through a system of self-regulation and co-regulation with Ofcom. The Codes apply to all media, including broadcast and online, and set standards for accuracy and honesty to which advertisers must adhere, including specific conditions on advertising to children, causing offence and social responsibility. The Codes include rules which require that alcohol advertising is socially responsible and is not targeted at under 18s. The Codes are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure they remain effective.
Separately to this, the Portman Group provides a Code of Practice to the alcohol industry on the Naming, Packaging and Promotion of Alcoholic Drinks, which seeks to ensure that non-paid for alcohol marketing in the UK is also socially responsible, and does not target young people.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
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 tackle the use of potentially misleading statistics in advertising.
Answered by Margot James
Advertising in the UK is regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the industry’s independent regulator, which enforces the Advertising Codes through a system of self-regulation and co-regulation with Ofcom. The Codes apply to all media, including broadcast and online. They incorporate all relevant legislation and set standards for accuracy and honesty to which advertisers must adhere, including specific conditions on advertising to children, causing offence and social responsibility.
The ASA is recognised by the government, the courts and trading standards as the ‘established means’ for the enforcement of misleading advertising, and the Codes include rules designed to ensure that advertisers do not mislead consumers. It has a range of sanctions it can take against non-compliant advertisers and, as a last resort, can refer some to Trading Standards.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
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 include tackling the advertising of alcohol to children in the upcoming alcohol strategy.
Answered by Margot James
The alcohol strategy is being coordinated by the Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Care.
Advertising in the United Kingdom is regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority, the industry’s independent regulator, who enforce the Advertising Codes through a system of self-regulation and co-regulation with Ofcom. The Codes apply to all media, including broadcast and online, and set standards for accuracy and honesty to which advertisers must adhere, including specific conditions on advertising to children, causing offence and social responsibility. The Codes also currently state that alcohol advertising must not be targeted at people under 18. The Codes are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure they remain effective.
The Portman Group also provides a Code to the alcohol industry on Naming and Packaging and Promotion of Alcoholic Drinks, which includes that drinks should not have a particular appeal to under-18s.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
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 prevent apps from accessing the personal data of children without the permission of a parent or guardian.
Answered by Margot James
We take the protection of personal data very seriously, particularly when it relates to children and young people. Apps that process personal data must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Apps that offer online services need to obtain parental consent to the processing of personal data for children who are under the age of 13. By law they must also make reasonable efforts to verify that the person providing consent holds parental responsibility for the child. Organisations which fail to comply with this obligation may be subject to enforcement action by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
The Data Protection Act 2018 also introduced a requirement for the ICO to produce a statutory code of practice on age-appropriate design. This code will ensure websites and apps are designed in a way that makes clear what data is being collected on children, how this data is being used, and how both children and parents can stay in control of this data.
The ICO’s consultation on the age-appropriate design code of practice closed on 5 December 2018. Further information about the consultation is available on the ICO’s website at ico.org.uk
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make an assessment of the effect of the prevalence of advertising of (a) payday loans and (b) gambling machines on the take-up of those products.
Answered by Margot James
Advertising in the UK is regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the industry’s independent regulator, which enforces the Advertising Codes through a system of self-regulation and co-regulation with Ofcom. The Codes incorporate all relevant legislation and sets standards for accuracy and honesty to which advertisers must adhere, including specific conditions on social responsibility.
With regard to payday loans, guidance relating to the advertising of high-cost short-term credit products is available to advertisers, to ensure that their advertising is compliant with the Advertising Codes, by being socially responsible and not trivialising the seriousness of taking out a loan. At the same time, the Financial Conduct Authority, responsible for regulation of the consumer credit market including payday lenders since 1 April 2014, has introduced a tough set of detailed rules regarding firms’ promotions and advertisements, which operate alongside the Advertising Codes. The Government does not hold data centrally on the effect of advertising on take-up of payday loans.
With regard to gambling machines, the Advertising Codes contain provisions to ensure gambling advertising does not target or appeal particularly to children or young people, or exploit vulnerable people. Gambling companies who advertise in the UK must comply with these rules. In practice, most advertising of gambling products does not involve gaming machines. The Gambling Commission’s Gambling Participation 2017 report showed that 4% of respondents had played on fruit or slot machines in the past four weeks and 1% on machines in bookmakers.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what safeguards his Department has put in place to prevent vulnerable people being exploited by the gaming industry.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Gambling Act 2005 sets out licensing objectives which underpin the regulation of gambling in Great Britain. They include the protection of vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling.
All operators providing gambling facilities to consumers in Great Britain must be licensed by the Gambling Commission and comply with licence conditions. These include requirements to prevent underage gambling, to intervene when a customer shows signs of being at risk of harm and to offer the facility to self-exclude. Operators may also be required to make tools available to help players manage their gambling, such as setting time or spend limits.
In May last year the Government published its Review of Proposed Changes to Gaming Machines and Responsibility Measures, which set out a package to strengthen protections further. The response can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-proposals-for-changes-to-gaming-machines-and-social-responsibility-measures
As promised in the Review, the Government has passed legislation to reduce the maximum stake limit on B2 machines from £100 to £2. This will come into effect on 1 April 2019. Alongside this we announced action to strengthen safeguards online, including the rollout of GAMSTOP, the online multi-operator self-exclusion scheme. The Gambling Commission has consulted on tightening age and identity verification requirements and will publish a response shortly. It will also launch a call for evidence on gambling on credit and a consultation on customer interaction.
The Review also announced measures to strengthen protections on gambling advertising, including significant new guidance from the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) on protecting vulnerable people, tougher sanctions for operators in breach of advertising codes, and a major advertising campaign aimed at raising awareness of risks around gambling.
Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will include alcohol products in the proposed consultation on a 9pm watershed on the advertising of unhealthy foods.
Answered by Margot James
In the second chapter of the Government's Childhood Obesity Plan, published in June, we committed to consult by the end of 2018 on introducing a 9pm watershed on TV advertising of HFSS products and similar protection for children viewing adverts online - with the aim of limiting children’s exposure to HFSS advertising, and incentivising sugar and calorie reduction.
Alcohol advertising is not in scope for this work because the consultation is focused on products that children consume.
As with HFSS advertising, alcohol advertising in the UK is regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the industry’s independent regulator, who enforce the Advertising Codes through a system of self-regulation and co-regulation with Ofcom. The Codes apply to all media, including broadcast and online, and set standards for accuracy and honesty to which advertisers are expected to adhere, including specific conditions on advertising to children, causing offence and social responsibility.
The Codes recognise the social imperative of ensuring alcohol advertising is responsible. They are regularly reviewed and updated by the industry to ensure they remain effective, and proposed changes to the Codes are routinely subject to public consultation. The Codes currently state that alcohol advertising must not be targeted at people under 18 and “should not imply, condone or encourage immoderate, irresponsible or anti-social drinking.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made on the financial effect of appointing a data protection officer on (a) independent community pharmacies and (b) other primary healthcare providers.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
The Department has made no specific assessment on the financial impact of appointing a data protection officer on independent community pharmacies or other primary healthcare providers.
It is the responsibility of each organisation to ensure their compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation which came into effect on 25 May 2018. For the past year we have been working alongside system partners across health and social care in developing a comprehensive suite of guidance products to help organisations recognise their obligations and help put effective governance and risk management arrangements in place from 25 May. These guidance materials are available to all health and care organisations on the NHS Digital website and will include guidance to general practice, optometry, pharmaceutical and dental organisations. In addition, there is considerable information and guidance available from the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training her Department has provided to (a) general civil servants, (b) fast stream civil servants and (c) senior civil servants on understanding the scrutiny and legislative roles of the UK Parliament; how many such courses have taken place; and how many civil servants have attended such training courses in each of the last five years.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
All Civil Servants have access to the central learning offer provided through Civil Service Learning. There are one-day workshops on Understanding Parliament, which are delivered at Foundation (introduction) and Practitioner (advanced) levels. Both of these workshops cover Parliament’s scrutiny and legislative roles. Dedicated training sessions covering specific topics are also available. These include Introduction to Parliament, Select Committees, Debates and Voting, Pre and Post Legislative Scrutiny, Parliamentary Questions, Delegated Legislation, and Primary Legislation. A half-day workshop is available on producing effective explanatory memoranda to accompany secondary legislation. The Cabinet Office’s Parliamentary Business and Legislation Team provide training to Bill Teams. The Government Legal Department and Parliamentary Counsel run a course on Dealing with Parliamentary Bills for Lawyers, which covers parliamentary stages and handling. Stand-alone events are run, eg during Parliament Week. Bespoke sessions for government departments are available on request.
It is well established that people need just-in-time training and resources to help them while on the job, so Civil Service Learning provide on-line resources, such as weblinks, guides and videos. There is an e-learning course on Understanding Parliament, and access to two Massive Open On-Line Courses (on Understanding Parliament and Select Committees) which have been produced in partnership between the House of Commons and Future Learn, a digital education platform owned by the Open University.
Fast Stream Civil Servants receive a Parliament workshop during their induction, covering the role of Parliament in scrutinising government policy. For Policy Professionals, a Fast Stream Base Camp includes an optional workshop which focuses on the legislative process in both houses, typical timetables and roles of Ministers, Bill Teams and civil servants in delivering legislation.
For Senior Civil Servants, a tailored a one-day workshop, Leading in Parliament, is available, which covers Parliament’s role, powers and relationship with government, the day-to day work of MPs and Peers. A workshop delivered jointly between Civil Service Learning and HM Treasury is provided for Accounting Officers. Civil Service Learning provides a workshop specifically for Senior Responsible Officers with responsibility for secondary legislation. Every department has an SCS Parliamentary Champion. There is a buddy system in place between Parliamentary Champions and senior House staff.
In addition to the courses available on CSL, DWP holds regular training and awareness sessions on secondary legislation and better regulation including the scrutiny and legislative roles of the UK Parliament that are available to all civil servants involved in policy development, as well as internally delivered workshops and tailored training sessions to individuals and teams who are preparing to make legislation or those who wish to learn more about Parliamentary processes, these are offered to members of staff by the Department’s Parliamentary and Legislative Strategy teams. To support this bespoke training sessions with representatives from the Parliamentary committee secretariats including the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee and the Work and Pensions Select Committee are arranged as needed. Officials from the Parliamentary Business and Legislation Committee are also regularly invited to provide training on devolution matters or the processes for taking primary legislation through Parliament including the role of the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee.
As the Department for Work and Pensions is a significant delivery Department, with the vast majority of staff in public facing roles, Parliamentary training is largely concentrated on colleagues in central roles. It is typically provided on a ‘train the trainer’ basis, with the aim that attendees then disseminate their learning among their colleagues. This training is provided on an ad hoc basis in response to requests from teams, individuals or their line managers. As such, the number of events and numbers attending are not recorded.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the quantum of associated costs of implementing the General Data Protection Regulation for (a) pharmacists, (b) dentists, (c) optometrists, (d) general practitioners and (e) other NHS primary care contractors.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
It is the responsibility of each organisation to ensure their compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation which comes into effect on 25 May 2018. For the past year we have been working alongside system partners across health and social care in developing a comprehensive suite of guidance products to help organisations recognise their obligations and help put effective governance and risk management arrangements in place from 25 May. These guidance materials are available to all health and care organisations on the NHS Digital website and will include guidance to general practice, optometry, pharmaceutical and dental organisations. In addition, there is considerable information and guidance available from the Information Commissioner’s Office.