Committee publication · Correspondence · 25 February 2025
Correspondence from the Minister for the Future Digital Economy and Online Safety, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology, regarding Government Response to the Animal Sentience Committee's Report on the Online Safety Act, dated 12 February 2025
From: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Animal and plant health
Summary
Baroness Maggie Jones confirms that the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology has published its formal response to the Animal Sentience Committee's October 2024 report examining how animal welfare considerations were integrated into the Online Safety Act implementation. The response was laid in Parliament on 12 February 2025.
Key findings
- The Animal Sentience Committee, established under the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022, published an analysis of animal welfare consideration in Online Safety Act implementation on 23 October 2024
- DSIT has now formally responded to the ASC's report and recommendations
- The ASC is an independent expert committee hosted by DEFRA with statutory powers to produce animal welfare impact reports for Parliament
Tone
ProceduralTopics
animal-welfareonline-safetydigital-regulation
Key actors
Baroness Maggie Jones, Alistair Carmichael, Animal Sentience Committee, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Notable line
“I appreciate the ASC's valuable report on this matter and have considered the important recommendations put forward by the ASC in the response.”
Key Quotes
“I am writing to inform you that my department (Department for Science Innovation and Technology, DSIT) is publishing its response to the Animal Sentience Committee's (ASC) report on the Online Safety Act”
“… the ASC is an independent committee of experts that was established by the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022. It is hosted by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗