Select committee: Communications and Digital Committee
Recommendation 64
3rd Report - Digital regulation: joined-up and accountable
Published 13 Dec 2021
Communications and Digital Committee Digital regulation All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We recommend that a well-respected non-executive, independent chair, with proven ability to lead effectively, be appointed to resolve regulatory conflicts and be accountable to Parliament. They should be joined on the board by other non-executive, independent members. 14 Communications and Digital Committee, Regulating in a digital world (2nd Report, Session 2017–19, HL Paper 299), para 223 15 Q 15 (Rachel Colidcutt), Q 21 (Professor Andrew Murray) and Q 27 (Chris Philp MP) 16 Communications and Digital Committee, Regulating in a digital world (2nd Report, Session 2017–19, HL Paper 299), para 238 17 Written evidence from the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum ( DRG0019 ) 18 Ibid . See also Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Digital Regulation: driving growth and unlocking innovation (6 July 2021): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/digital -regulation-driving-growth-and-unlocking-innovation/digital-regulation-driving-growth -and-unlocking-innovation [accessed 30 November 2021]. 19 Written evidence from the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum ( DRG0019 ) 20 Q 4 (Will Hayter) 21 Q 1 22 Q 6 23 Ibid. 24 Q 1 25 Q 45 26 Q 22 27 Written evidence from Carnegie UK ( DRG0006 ) 28 Written evidence from the LSE Law, Technology and Society Research Group ( DRG0008 ) 29 Q 21 30 Q 2 31 Q 21 32 Written evidence from Dr Elena Abrusci ( DRG0009 ) and Q 21 (Professor Andrew Murray) 33 Q 21 (Professor Andrew Murray) and Q 2 (Kate Davies) 34 Written evidence from Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport ( DRG0007 ) 35 Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Data: a new direction consultation document , 10 September 2021, p 119: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/ uploads/attachment_data/file/1022315/Data_Reform_Consultation_Document__Accessible_. pdf [accessed 30 November 2021] 36 Q 27 37 Q 1 (Will Hayter) 38 Q 18 39 Q 14 40 Q 19 41 Q 44 42 Written evidence from the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum ( DRG0019 ) 43 Q 44 44 Ibid. 45 Q 46 46 Q 44 47 Written evidence from NCC Group ( DRG0005 ) 48 Ibid. 49 Q 19 50 Ibid. 51 Written evidence from Dr Elena Abrusci ( DRG0009 ) 52 Q 33 53 Q 45 54 The Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum, ‘Joining up on future technologies’, (29 November 2021): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ joining-up-on-future-technologies-digital-regulation-cooperation-forum-technology- horizon-scanning-programme/joining-up-on-future-technologies [accessed 30 November 2021] 55 Ibid. 56 Q 9 57 Q 16 58 Q 9 59 Ibid. 60 Q 15 61 Q 24 62 Q 42 63 Q 24 64 Communications and Digital Committee, Regulating in a digital world (2nd Report, Session 2017–19, HL Paper 299), para 21 65 Ibid. , para 229 66 Oral evidence taken before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, 13 May 2021 (Session 2021–22), Q 22 (Rt Hon Oliver Dowden MP) 67 Q 46 68 Q 48 69 Q 19 70 Written evidence from the LSE Law, Technology and Society Research Group ( DRG0008 ) 71 Written evidence from Match Group ( DRG0003 ) 72 Q 2 73 Written evidence from the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum ( DRG0019 ) 74 Q 2 75 Written evidence from Dr Elena Abrusci ( DRG0009 ) 76 Q 27 77 Q 4 78 Written evidence from Dr Elena Abrusci ( DRG0009 ) < Back Next > © Parliamentary copyright 2021 A-Z index Glossary Contact us Freedom of Information Jobs Using this website Copyright Privacy notice Cookie policy Cookie Manager House of Lords - Digital regulation: joined-up and accountable - Communications and Digital Committee Accessibility Email alerts RSS feeds Contact us Home Parliamentary business MPs, Lords & offices About Parliament Get involved Visiting Education House of Commons House of Lords What's on Bills & legislation Committees Publications & records Parliament TV News Topics Digital regulation: joined-up and accountable Contents Chapter 3: Parliamentary oversight
From: Communications and Digital Committee, 3rd Report - Digital regulation: joined-up and accountable, 13 December 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 28 March 2022 (deadline 31 March 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government welcomes the report and agrees with many of its wider recommendations, but will not take forward the proposed Digital Regulation Board or a Joint Committee on Digital Regulation.
- On statutory coordination, the government agrees on the need for strong coordination, but says non-statutory forms "have an important role to play". It recognises statutory measures "may be needed" in some situations and will "shortly publish" its response to the pro-competition and data consultations, including its approach to statutory coordination measures.
- The government is "not intending to take forward" the Digital Regulation Board recommendation, citing concerns that a statutory body with powers to direct regulators "would confuse issues of regulator independence and accountability". It commits to working with the DRCF to maximise its efficacy in non-statutory form.
- On DRCF membership, the government recognises that a wider range of regulators plays an important role. It welcomes further details from the DRCF on its future engagement strategy with other regulators through its 2022/23 work plan.
- On a joint committee, the government agrees that parliamentary oversight has an important role but "does not support the recommendation", citing "real risks of duplication". It intends to work with Parliament to support scrutiny of the Online Safety Act using expertise in both Houses.