Member

I recognise the intent of Amendment 266 but—I say this as genuinely humbly as I can—the assessment of the Government is that it would be unworkable and would place unmanageable and unnecessary operational burdens on both the National Crime Agency and Ofcom. The National Crime Agency is a law enforcement body. It does not have statutory powers, and it does not have the necessary people or expertise to regulate companies or enforce compliance with safety standards for online service providers. It would further create significant legal challenges for businesses or individuals looking to operate an online service in the UK. While it is right that we protect online users from the risks posed by technology, it is vital that we do not criminalise people or businesses without demonstrable culpability.