Written questions by Gardner.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that content relating to women’s health is not inappropriately restricted or shadow-banned on social media platforms; and whether her Department has issued to platforms on safeguarding access to educational health information.

The Online Safety Act does not set out to prevent adults from seeking out legal content, nor does it decide what legal content companies should or should not allow on their platforms. Platforms will not be able to arbitrarily remove content, and users will have access to effective complaints procedures when content is unduly taken down. Ofcom, the independent regulator, is working to ensure services understand how to comply with the new requirements.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking with social media platforms to help tackle the spread of extremism online.

Under the Online Safety Act, companies must act against illegal mis- and disinformation or hateful content, including illegal content that stirs up racial or religious hatred, and direct incitement to violence. The illegal content duty Codes of Practice are currently being scrutinised by Parliament, and Ofcom is anticipated to begin enforcing them in the Spring.Social media platforms are responsible for ensuring that those seeking to spread hate online are not facilitated by their service. DSIT engages constructively with social media platforms, whilst being clear about that responsibility. DSIT also engages with major platforms on their responses to emerging risks relating to national security and public safety.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to increase levels of innovation in Stoke-on-Trent.

I set out in my previous answer to the Honourable Member for Stafford, that we are investing £29.8 million in research and innovation projects in Staffordshire.For example, through the Strength in Places Fund, we are investing £18 million in the Midlands Advanced Ceramics for Industry 4.0 project. This is a consortium of researchers, manufacturers and end-users led by the Lucideon Group, which has sites in Stoke-on-Trent and Stone. It will develop streamlined processes for proving and bringing new advanced ceramics technologies to market faster, with less energy usage and lower carbon emissions.