UK Parliament / Open data

Online Safety Bill

Proceeding contribution from Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat) in the House of Lords on Wednesday, 19 July 2023. It occurred during Debate on bills on Online Safety Bill.

I support the amendment of the noble Lord, Lord Stevenson. Here is an opportunity for the Minister to build a legislative monument. I hope he will take it. The reason I associate myself with it is because the noble Lord, Lord Stevenson—who has been sparing in his quoting of the Joint Committee’s report, compared with mine—referred to it and it all made very good sense.

The amendment stumbles only in the opinion of the Government, it seems, on the basis that parliamentary committees need to be decided on by Parliament, rather than the Executive. But this is a very fine distinction, in my view, given that the Government, in a sense, control the legislature and therefore could will the means to do this, even if it was not by legislation. A nod from the Minister would ensure that this would indeed take place. It is very much needed. It was the

Communications and Digital Committee, I think, that introduced the idea that we picked up in the Joint Committee, so it has a very good provenance.

About this proceeding contribution

Reference

831 cc2348-9 

Session

2022-23

Chamber / Committee

House of Lords chamber
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