Online Purchasing of Goods and Services (Age Verification) Bill

A Bill to make it a requirement for the providers of goods and services and the providers of specific facilities enabling the purchase of such goods and services to make reasonable steps, in certain circumstances, to establish the age of customers making such purchases remotely; and for connected purposes

In progress Current stage: 2nd reading (Commons)

The story so farThe Online Purchasing of Goods and Services (Age Verification) Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 22 January 2008 by Margaret Moran (Labour). It is now at second reading in the House of Commons. Second reading is the first debate on the overall principle of the bill; if the bill clears it, detailed committee scrutiny follows.

What the bill does

The purpose of the Bill is to make it a legal requirement for the providers of goods and services, and the providers of specific facilities enabling the purchase of such goods and services, to take reasonable steps to establish the age of customers making such purchases remotely. It was introduced in response to concerns that self-regulation in this area does not appear to be working.In effect, the Bill would require anyone selling age-restricted goods and services over the internet to take steps to verify online whether customers are old enough to purchase those goods or services.

Online Purchasing of Goods and Services (Age Verification) Bill

Progress through Parliament