Written question asked by Margaret Moran (Labour) on Wednesday, 2 December 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 7 December 2009. It was answered by Alan Campbell (Labour) on Thursday, 10 December 2009 on behalf of the Home Office.

Offences Against Children: Internet

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanisms are in place for the sharing of information on online images of child abuse with the US authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) is the reporting point for illegal images of child sexual abuse for the UK. When an image is reported, the IWF will notify the relevant INHOPE (the International Association of Internet Hotlines) Hotline in the country concerned, including in the United States, and will also inform the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP). CEOP work closely with the Virtual Global Taskforce, and with the law enforcement agencies of other countries, to tackle such sites, and to arrest those responsible for them. CEOP works closely with the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in the US.

Secondary information