Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on restricting the online sale of tracking devices which are bought by people who stalk women.

Stalking is an insidious crime that has a deep and significant impact on victims’ wellbeing. Both online and offline, perpetrators leave victims feeling constantly at risk and looking over their shoulder. This Government is committed to ensuring that victims are supported.

On 8 April we published the Online Harms White Paper and in it we set out our proposals to address both harmful and illegal conduct and content, including a broad range of online harms associated with abuse, including stalking.

Additionally, the Government has provided Refuge with £250,000 of funding through the Tampon Tax to provide specialist nationwide support to staff and survivors who experience technologically facilitated abuse. We have also provided Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner with £646,000 through the Home Office Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Service Transformation Fund for a project which includes work to tackle cyberstalking.