Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is her Department's assessment of the potential impact on the UK's security of recent changes to the operation of the expert panel of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism.

The Home Office is aware of the proposed changes to the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism’s Independent Advisory Committee and the concerns raised by some of its members. Independent challenge and expert input are important to the effective operation of multistakeholder organisations, and the Home Office will continue to support these principles through its engagement with the GIFCT.

Terrorist and violent extremist activity online, and its role in radicalisation, remains a key concern for the Government. Engagement with industry is essential to tackling this threat, and the GIFCT provides an important forum for bringing together expertise from across industry, governments, civil society and academia.

The Home Office continues to engage with technology companies bilaterally and through multilateral forums such as the GIFCT, to support collaboration and information sharing in tackling terrorist and violent extremist activity online.