Select committee: Public Accounts Committee
Conclusion 8
Thirteenth Report - Preparedness for online safety regulation
Published 21 Feb 2024
Addressed to HM Treasury
Public Accounts Committee Preparedness for online safety regulation All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
Ofcom has been preparing for its new regulatory role since 2020 when the government confirmed its decision to appoint Ofcom as the regulator for online safety.10 Ofcom told us that there was no regulation of comparable scale and ambition, and that it therefore had to start from scratch in 2020. Both the scope and the timetable of the Bill changed significantly during its passage through Parliament.11 For example, in March 2022, the government removed previously core duties to tackle legal but harmful content.12 We questioned Ofcom about the impact the changes in scope and delays to the expected Bill timetable had on its preparation. Ofcom responded that, although it had been challenging for it to stay on track, the extra time had been quite helpful as it enabled it to progress its preparations and to move swiftly after the Bill became law. The Department and Ofcom both told us that they had had a close and collaborative relationship during this set-up period in order to be as ready as they could be on the day after the Bill received Royal Assent.13 Handling complaints
From: Public Accounts Committee, Thirteenth Report - Preparedness for online safety regulation (HC 73), 21 February 2024
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 3 May 2024 (deadline 21 April 2024).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government agrees with the Committee's recommendations on codes of practice deadlines, compliance monitoring, the fee regime and evaluation, and disagrees with those on complaint feedback and skills audits.
- On codes of practice, the government agrees and states that Ofcom "is on track" to submit its illegal harms and protection of children Codes to the Secretary of State by 26 April 2025.
- On feedback to complainants, the government disagrees, stating that the Act "does not empower Ofcom to adjudicate on individual complaints"; these should go to the provider.
- On the fee regime, the government agrees. Ofcom will consult publicly in Summer 2024, with the aim of implementing the fees regime in the 2026-27 financial year.
- On skills audits, the government disagrees, stating that both organisations "already have effective workforce planning processes", which fulfil the intent of the recommendation.