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Home Office

Answer

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many National Hi-Tech Crime Unit staff will (a) be dedicated to the policing of internet chatrooms, (b) have the priority of protection of children on the internet and (c) have specific training in dealing with child protection law; and what the framework for liaison between the internet crime squad child protection team and other police units will be. [96758] Mr. Bob Ainsworth: [holding answer 12 February 2003]: We set up the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU) as part of the National Crime Squad to combat national and transnational hi-tech crime within or which impacts upon the UK.This includes investigation of hacking, virus writing, extortion, fraud, drug trafficking and organised paedophilia. Their organised paedophilia targets include paedophile rings operating within the internet who display a hierarchical structure, a high level of technical ability, the use of strong encryption, a knowledge of law enforcement techniques and international in nature. It also includes those persons profiting from the commercial exploitation of on line child abuse, through the provision of pay for view child pornography. This specific technical role augments the policing provision for child protection by the National Crime Squad, National Criminal Intelligence Service and forces. (a) Officers from the NHTCU are not routinely deployed to monitor internet chatrooms. This activity may occur in response to specific intelligence concerning a paedophile ring operating within a chatroom environment, or as part of an existing investigation. (b) Approximately 25 per cent of NHTCU resources are engaged in the investigation of child abuse on-line. This equates to ten members of law enforcement and support staff encompassing intelligence, investigation and forensic examination roles. (c) NHTCU investigators have received training from clinical psychologists in relation to the investigation of offences of child abuse on line. Any child identified at risk during the course of an investigation is immediately referred to the child protection team in the force where a victim lives. The NHTCU does not have a specific child protection team, however, it is represented on both the national police strategic and tactical tasking and co-ordinating groups who receive intelligence concerning child abuse on line. Through these for a the NHTCU are linked to the 43 police forces in England and Wales, the National Criminal Intelligence Service, and international law enforcement.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

96758; 399 c911-2W;399 c907-8W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Children Law Internet Protection Police Offences against children Paedophilia Training National Hi-Tech Crime Unit

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk