Select committee: Women and Equalities Committee

Recommendation 15

4th Report – Tackling non-consensual intimate image abuse Published 5 Mar 2025 Addressed to Government Equalities Office
Recommendation (the committee's words)
The Government should explore whether the funding for such a Commission could be generated, at least in part, by a levy on bodies within scope of the OSA on a similar basis to that which exists in other regulated environments. We note that such consideration would need to take into account fees already collected by Ofcom. (Recommendation, Paragraph 78)

From: Women and Equalities Committee, 4th Report – Tackling non-consensual intimate image abuse (HC 336), 5 March 2025

Government response

The government responded to the whole report on 20 May 2025 (deadline 5 May 2025).

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government gives a mixed response, rejecting a majority of the recommendations while accepting some in full or in part and pointing to existing provisions and the forthcoming VAWG Strategy.

  • On the Revenge Porn Helpline, it records "Partial acceptance" and is providing £300,000 for 2025/26 (up from £210,000), with funding beyond that "determined through the Spring Spending Review".
  • It rejects bringing online sexual offences and NCII within the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme, saying this would "fundamentally alter the purpose of the Scheme".
  • It rejects a statutory civil process, citing "little evidence" about the British Columbia model and overlap with existing routes, but says it "will consider this further" in developing the VAWG Strategy.
  • It accepts the recommendation on nudification apps, saying it is "actively looking at options" and "will update the Committee on this in due course".

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error