Every parliamentary written question tabled by Caroline Dinenage this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–16 of 16 · Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Innovation and Technology, if she will meet with the PPA to discuss cookie exemptions for publishers.
The ICO will formally deliver their recommendations on exemptions to Government in the coming weeks. Following this, the government will continue to engage with the publishing and advertising sector to assess the evidence for new exemptions.
Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the accessibility of suicide fora to children through gaming chats.
The Online Safety Act requires in-scope services, including in-scope gaming services, to prevent all users from encountering illegal suicide and self-harm content, and children from legal content encouraging, promoting, or providing instructions for suicide or self-harm.It is difficult to estimate how many children access online suicide fora. Ofcom research indicates that fewer than 3 secondary school students in a thousand encounter suicide content through a broad category of websites, that would include suicide fora, during a four-week period. Five in a thousand encountered suicide content through online gaming platforms during the same period.Ofcom’s first investigation under the Act targeted a pro-suicide forum. On 6 January, Ofcom confirmed it informed the forum provider that Ofcom is working towards issuing a provisional notice of contravention in relation to Act breaches.
Innovation and Technology, what estimate she has made of the number of children accessing online suicide fora.
The Online Safety Act requires in-scope services, including in-scope gaming services, to prevent all users from encountering illegal suicide and self-harm content, and children from legal content encouraging, promoting, or providing instructions for suicide or self-harm.It is difficult to estimate how many children access online suicide fora. Ofcom research indicates that fewer than 3 secondary school students in a thousand encounter suicide content through a broad category of websites, that would include suicide fora, during a four-week period. Five in a thousand encountered suicide content through online gaming platforms during the same period.Ofcom’s first investigation under the Act targeted a pro-suicide forum. On 6 January, Ofcom confirmed it informed the forum provider that Ofcom is working towards issuing a provisional notice of contravention in relation to Act breaches.
Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with Ofcom over reported sexualised deepfake content on X.
The government is clear that no one should have to go through the ordeal of these horrendous images online.Ofcom has confirmed that they have opened an investigation into X and have our full backing to take necessary enforcement action.The commencement order for the offence of the creation, or requested creation, of intimate images will be signed this week meaning that individuals are committing a criminal offence if they create – or seek to create – such abhorrent content. This will also be made a priority offence, meaning platforms must take proactive action.This is not about restricting freedom of speech but upholding the law.
Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with X over reported sexualised deepfake content on its platform.
The government is clear that no one should have to go through the ordeal of these horrendous images online.Ofcom has confirmed that they have opened an investigation into X and have our full backing to take necessary enforcement action.The commencement order for the offence of the creation, or requested creation, of intimate images will be signed this week meaning that individuals are committing a criminal offence if they create – or seek to create – such abhorrent content. This will also be made a priority offence, meaning platforms must take proactive action.This is not about restricting freedom of speech but upholding the law.
Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to support the removal of sexualised deepfake content from X.
Sexually manipulated images of women and children are despicable and abhorrent. The government is clear that no one should have to go through the ordeal of seeing intimate images of themselves online. There are no excuses not to act, and services must deal with this urgently.Sharing, or threatening to share a deepfake intimate image without consent is a criminal offence. The government has made it a priority offence under the Online Safety Act, meaning services need to take proactive steps to tackle this content. Ofcom has robust enforcement powers to use where providers are not complying with their duties.This week we havesigned the commencement order to urgently bring powers to criminalise the creation of intimate images without consent into force.Ofcom has confirmed that they have opened a formal investigation into X and have the government’s full backing to take necessary enforcement action.
Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of (a) the adequacy of the level of pricing transparency of fixed term mobile and broadband contracts; and (b) the impact of this on people (i) experiencing financial difficulty and (ii) with mental health conditions when they enter the negotiation process at the end of those fixed term contracts.
Affordability and transparency of telecoms services is important for Government and something we are keeping an eye on. The department monitors the market and consults stakeholders who conduct relevant research, including Ofcom, the independent regulator of telecommunications, and Citizens Advice.In 2022, Ofcom introduced a requirement for providers to give new customers a one-page summary of their contract before signing, clarifying terms and price changes.Operators are required under Ofcom’s General Conditions (C5) to follow guidelines on treating vulnerable consumers fairly, including for those facing financial or mental health challenges.
Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of artificial intelligence on public expenditure.
The primary focus of the government’s analysis has been to assess the potential for AI to enhance public sector productivity and efficiency, which are key determinants of future spending levels. Analysis by DSIT for the State of Digital Government Review found an estimated £45 billion per year in unrealised savings and productivity benefits in the public sector, 4-7% of public sector spend, which could be achieved through full digitisation of public sector services. Opportunities are based predominantly on process simplification, AI-driven automation of manual tasks, greater availability, adoption of low-cost digital channels and reduced fraud through compliance automation. Of this, £36 billion in potential annual savings are from using AI to simplify and automate delivery across the public sector. This was estimated through a detailed analysis of 350,000 public sector roles using Civil Service data, scaling productivity savings from automating or augmenting routine tasks to the wider public sector workforce.
Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of regulating AI systems at the point of (a) use and (b) development.
Artificial intelligence is the defining opportunity of our generation, and the Government is taking action to harness its economic benefits for UK citizens. As set out in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, we believe most AI systems should be regulated at the point of use, with our expert regulators best placed to do so. Departments are working proactively with regulators to provide clear strategic direction and support them on their AI capability needs. Through well-designed and implemented regulation, we can fuel fast, wide and safe development and adoption of AI.
Innovation and Technology, how many people work for Ofcom’s Online Safety Directorate.
In 2023/24, Ofcom had 189 full-time equivalent posts in the Online Safety Group. This does not include staff who work on online safety in other groups such as legal, enforcement and research.The government has ensured Ofcom has the funding it needs to deliver online safety regulation effectively, with £72.6 million allocated for online safety spend in 2025/26. This additional funding will result in additional staff for the Online Safety Group and other divisions.
Innovation and Technology, what estimate he has made of the number of employees required for Ofcom’s Online Safety Directorate to effectively carry out its duties.
In 2023/24, Ofcom had 189 full-time equivalent posts in the Online Safety Group. This does not include staff who work on online safety in other groups such as legal, enforcement and research.The government has ensured Ofcom has the funding it needs to deliver online safety regulation effectively, with £72.6 million allocated for online safety spend in 2025/26. This additional funding will result in additional staff for the Online Safety Group and other divisions.
Innovation and Technology, what the criteria were for appointing members of the Digital Centre Design Panel; and whether those members will provide declarations of interests for publication.
The Digital Centre Design Advisory Panel was established to advise, test ideas and constructively challenge our thinking as we develop the new digital centre of government.DSIT selected individuals who bring a diverse set of views and experience from across the UK tech sector, academics, digital government, regional growth and international voices, including co-chairs Martha Lane Fox and Paul Willmott.DSIT holds the appointee’s declarations of interest and will publish them in line with Cabinet Office guidance.
Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to run an awareness campaign for the switchover from analogue to digital phone lines.
The Government is supporting plans put forward by major communication providers to run an awareness campaign, paid for by industry, for the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) migration to digital landlines. The campaign will be launched in 2025.
Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the migration of analogue phone lines to digital voice over internet protocol on elderly people in Gosport.
The Government recognises that some customers may face heightened risks during the migration from the analogue landline network to voice over internet protocol and my officials and I have worked hard since the election on mitigating risks to vulnerable people across the country. On 18 November 2024, the Department published guidance for communication providers on how to identify and support these customers when their landline migrates.The Department also published a checklist of activities that communication providers must take before migrating customers to voice over internet protocol without their active consent. We expect providers to meet the safeguards set out in this checklist to keep customers safe throughout the migration.
Innovation and Technology, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the open letter entitled Statement on AI Training, published on 23 October 2024.
The Minister for Creative Industries, Arts, and Tourism and I held roundtables with the creative, media and AI sectors last month and our departments continue to engage with those stakeholders to inform our approach. The Statement on AI Training provides the views of individual creators and performers from across the sector and will also inform our approach alongside our engagement with the AI and broader creative industries sectors.The Government is committed to supporting the growth of the creative industries and AI sectors while recognising the value of human-centred creativity. Whilst clarity is needed, this is a complex topic, and we must take the time to hear stakeholder views and give them careful consideration.
Innovation and Technology, with reference to the publication entitled Annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals, Great Britain 2023, published on 11 September 2024, what steps he plans to take to (a) increase funding for the further development and uptake of human-specific methods that can replace the use of animals in medical research and testing and (b) support scientists to transition to these approaches.
The Government has committed to partnering with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the requirements for phasing out of animal testing and we are currently engaging with the sector as to how to take this commitment forward.The Government invests £10m annually in the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) to accelerate the development and adoption of non-animal approaches. The NC3Rs receives additional funding from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) for specific programmes and substantial in-kind support from companies for their CRACK IT innovation programme.