Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has held discussions with the Home Office on the increased use of Virtual Private Networks by criminals following the introduction of the Online Safety Act 2023.

Making the UK a safer place to be online is a priority for the Government, and the Online Safety Act is central to this. Officials from DSIT and the Home Office meet regularly to discuss the implementation of the Act and wider online safety issues.

While there is currently no evidence that VPNs are being used more by criminals following the introduction of the Act, the Government continues to monitor the impact of circumvention techniques on the online environment. VPNs also have legitimate uses including protecting users’ privacy and supporting secure access to services.