Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle crimes connected with the use of dating apps.

Cyber Security, including cyber crime, is a top priority threat to national security. Through the National Cyber Security Programme (NCSP), we invested over £90 million under the last Parliament to bolster the law enforcement response, and we are continuing to invest. This Government has committed to transformative investment of £1.9 billion on cyber security over the next five years, including for tackling cyber crime. This year we have published a second five-year National Cyber Security Strategy and established the National Cyber Security Centre which will act as a ‘one stop shop’ for national cyber security.

Action Fraud, the national reporting point for fraud and financially-motivated cyber crime, has guidance on its website about Romance Fraud, which can be found at: http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/fraud-az-romance-scams The Government expects social media companies and internet platforms to have robust processes in place and to act promptly when abuse is reported. The Government continues to work closely with social media companies and other relevant actors and experts to make sure they are committed to protecting those who use their platforms.