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Make
it a requirement for the providers of goods and services and the
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providers of specified facilities
enabling the purchase of such goods and
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services to take reasonable steps,
in certain circumstances, to establish the age
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of customers making such purchases
remotely; and for connected purposes.
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Be
it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by
and with the advice and
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consent of the Lords Spiritual
and Temporal, and Commons, in this present
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Parliament assembled, and by
the authority of the same, as follows:—
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1
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Provision
of age-restricted goods and services
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(1)
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A company, organization or individual
which is engaged in the sale or
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provision by means of any electronic
communications networks of such age-
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restricted goods and services
as shall be prescribed by regulations made by the
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Secretary of State shall take
all reasonable steps to determine that the person
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5
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purchasing or otherwise obtaining
access to such goods and services meets the
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specifications of the relevant
age restriction.
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(2)
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In prescribing the list of goods
and services which are the subject of this Act the
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Secretary of State shall have
regard to, but shall not be limited to, any goods
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and services for which an age
restriction is prescribed by law and any age
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10
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restrictions which are prescribed
by any statutory body.
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(3)
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The Secretary of State shall
publish, at least once in each calendar year, advice
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or guidance on how companies,
organizations or individuals might discharge
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their obligations under subsection
(1).
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(4)
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In this section “electronic
communications networks” has the meaning given
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15
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by section 32 of the Communications
Act 2003 (c. 21) (meaning of electronic
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communications networks and services).
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Any company, organization or
individual which fails to comply with the
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provisions of section 1 commits
an offence and shall be liable on summary
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conviction to a fine not exceeding
the statutory maximum.
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(1)
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Any power of the Secretary of
State under this Act to make regulations or an
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order is exercisable by statutory
instrument.
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(2)
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Any regulations made under this
Act shall be laid before Parliament after
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being made and shall be subject
to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of
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either House of Parliament.
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4
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Short
title, commencement and extent
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(1)
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This Act may be cited as the
Online Purchasing of Goods and Services (Age
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(2)
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This Act shall come into force
on such day as the Secretary of State may by
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10
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(3)
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This Act extends to Northern
Ireland.
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