Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle the online exploitation of children; and whether she plans to increase funding for police cybercrime units.

We are committed to taking robust action across Government to better safeguard children from all forms of abuse, including online exploitation, and to ensure that perpetrators of abuse face the full force of the law.

It is crucial that police and law enforcement have the capabilities and skills to effectively tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, and engage sensitively with children, victims and survivors.

The Home Office continues to invest in a network of Undercover Online Officers in Regional Organised Crime Units who deploy online to identify and pursue offenders seeking to sexually exploit children. In addition, Home Office funding supports both the National Crime Agency to use its unique capabilities to disrupt the highest harm offenders, and GCHQ’s aim to significantly reduce harm to children by addressing the volume and scope of online offending and helping to bring offenders to justice. The Home Office has also developed the world-leading Child Abuse Image Database (CAID), in collaboration with the police and other partners, using cutting-edge technology, including AI tools, to help identify and safeguard victims of online exploitation and abuse.

To ensure we keep pace with changes in technology, under the Crime and Policing Bill, this Government has introduced a suite of new measures to keep children safe online by tackling the growing threat of Artificially-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). In addition, the Online Safety Act protects citizens – especially children – by placing new duties on tech companies to address priority illegal content, including child sexual exploitation and abuse. This Government will continue to proactively review legislation, and we will not hesitate to legislate further to ensure the protection of children online.