Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 25
25
Accepted
Ofcom reorganised for online safety accountability, but needs to embed more responsive working methods.
Conclusion
Ofcom has undertaken extensive organisational design work to prepare for and operate the new regulatory regime.58 Ofcom explained that, to improve accountability and organisational clarity, it re-organised around four groups of work, of which online safety is one. Accountability for delivering Ofcom’s online safety responsibilities sits within this online safety group.59 Ofcom is confident that this new structure will enable it to respond quickly to new and emerging harms but acknowledged that more work is needed to embed more responsive ways of working.60 The Department told us that, at the time of our evidence session, it was at the very late stages of recruiting three non-executive directors to the Ofcom board to provide knowledge and experience across the full suite of Ofcom’s activities, including online safety.61 49 Qq 85–86 50 Q 84 51 Q 81 52 Q 8 53 C&AG’s Report, para 2.13 54 Q 8 55 C&AG’s Report, para 2.16 56 Qq 88–89 57 Qq 60, 87–89 58 C&AG’s Report, para 2.10 59 Qq 70–71 60 C&AG’s Report, para 2.11 61 Q 69 Preparedness for online safety regulation 15
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with the committee's implied recommendation, stating that both Ofcom and the Department already have effective workforce planning processes and initiatives, such as half-yearly reviews and horizon scanning, to ensure the right skills and people are in place.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
5.1 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 5.2 The department and Ofcom agree with the Committee that they must have the right skills and people in place, to regulate effectively. Both organisations already have effective workforce planning processes, which ensure that the required skills are in place, fulfilling the intent of this recommendation. 5.3 Ofcom’s workforce planning runs half yearly. The online safety-specific detail of this workforce plan feeds into its online safety learning and development provision, as well as recruitment pipeline considerations, ensuring capability and capacity is proactively built as required. Ofcom reports to Parliament annually through its Annual Report and Accounts on its overall strategy for people, skills and capabilities to meet its remit. 5.4 Ofcom’s Strategy and Research, Online Technology, and Online Safety leadership teams together with the input of wider academic external partners work to ensure Ofcom keeps abreast of technology developments and understands the implications of these in regard to knowledge, skills and approaches to ways of working. More widely, Ofcom has launched a systematic horizon scanning function to understand the impact of technology developments over the next decade. 5.5 The department runs a yearly business planning process through which directorates specify and agree the headcount, roles and specialisms required to deliver their functions effectively. 5.6 Directorates including the Online Harms directorate hold delegated learning budgets and regularly assess particular skills needs. Departmental non-executives are appointed through a regulated public appointments process. The department will shortly announce a new cohort of non-executives who will support the board for a term of 3 years.