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Palace of Westminster, London — Photo: Diliff, CC BY-SA 2.5

Policy Watch|World

Britain’s national digital ID is cancelled, but One Login, the GOV.UK Wallet and certified ID checks carry on

In a response published 18 September, the government told the Commons Home Affairs Committee it has cancelled the national Digital ID programme, including mandatory digital right-to-work checks. It also said GOV.UK One Login, the GOV.UK Wallet, the digital driving licence and the statutory register of certified ID-check providers continue. Since 1 October, employers who choose a digital provider for right-to-work checks must use a certified one. On 19 October the Public Accounts Committee questioned officials on what the long-term plan now is.

Daily Teabag Desk·Centre
Riverside House, Bankside, London, Ofcom’s headquarters — Photo: Jim Linwood, CC BY 2.0

Policy Watch|World

UK age checks: Ofcom has fined three porn sites for failing to verify ages and is now investigating Pornhub, TikTok and Meta

Ofcom’s 15 October Online Safety bulletin lists fines of £630,000 (fapello.com), £730,000 (Xgroovy.com) and £80,000 (First Time Videos) for failing to use ‘highly effective age assurance’, provisional decisions against four more providers, and open investigations into Pornhub’s owner Aylo, TikTok and, from October, Meta over Instagram’s ‘Instants’. Ofcom is also assessing what age checks would work for a planned under-16 social media ban.

Daily Teabag Desk·Centre
Palace of Westminster, London — Photo: Diliff, CC BY-SA 2.5

Debt & Fiscal|World

UK national debt passes £3 trillion for the first time as September borrowing reaches £24.5 billion

The Office for National Statistics (21 October) puts public sector net debt at £3,005.0 billion at the end of September, the first time above £3 trillion, or 94.0% of GDP. As a share of the economy, debt is 0.7 points lower than a year ago. September borrowing was £24.5 billion, £1.9 billion above the OBR forecast, with £10.9 billion in central government debt interest, the highest September since records began in 1997. The Budget is on 28 October.

Daily Teabag Desk·Centre