Select committee: Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Conclusion 1

Sixth Report - Trusted voices Published 12 Apr 2024 Paragraph 25 Addressed to Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Conclusion (the committee's words)
There is no one single trusted voice: different communities or demographics may turn to different ones. That that is as it should be, but the more the media seeks to understand and reflect the diversity of the country, the more it can provide the trusted voices that are vital in providing accurate information and tackling misinformation where it arises.

From: Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Sixth Report - Trusted voices (HC 175), paragraph 25, 12 April 2024

Government response

The government responded to the whole report on 4 November 2024 (deadline 12 June 2024).

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

The government says it "broadly agrees" with the previous Committee's report, while setting out a different response to individual recommendations.

  • On the Counter Disinformation Unit, now the National Security and Online Information Team, the government says that "we are not considering a review at this juncture", citing the change of remit and ongoing parliamentary scrutiny.
  • On evaluating pandemic communications, the government notes that the UK Covid-19 Inquiry is underway and says it "will consider and respond to any findings and recommendations by that Inquiry in due course".
  • On publishing policy evidence, the Analysis Function has "committed to working with the Communications Function and other bodies" to "consider options" on routinely publishing evidence behind major policy announcements.
  • On the National Academies, DSIT "cannot fully accept" the recommendation because it would hinder their independence, but will look to strengthen its monitoring and evaluation of DSIT-funded public engagement work.

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error