Select committee: Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Recommendation 12
Sixth Report - Trusted voices
Published 12 Apr 2024
Paragraph 84
Addressed to Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
All National Academies have provided us with some excellent examples of public engagement but we remain unclear about their strategic aims for public engagement. Without clear aims, it is not possible to judge the efficacy of their public engagement and, consequently, whether they are spending public money appropriately. As part of its renewed focus on assessing the National Academies, the Government should review what role the National Academies should play in the public information landscape and work with them to publish objectives and benchmarks to deliver that role.
From: Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Sixth Report - Trusted voices (HC 175), paragraph 84, 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.