The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) monitor the number of reports made each month through their online reporting form, which includes those for spam containing adult content. They are currently undertaking analysis to identify the number of valid complaints which specifically relate to adult content, which the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport will write to you provide.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before prorogation.

The Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) was launched by the NCSC in April 2020 and allows anyone who suspects an email, text or other form of communication to report it to report@phishing.gov.uk or forward a text to 7726, free of charge. As of 31st March 2021, over 5,500,000 reports have been received from the public, leading to the removal of over 41,000 scams and 81,000 URLs.

The NCSC analyses the suspect email and any websites it links to and also use any additional information provided to look for and monitor suspicious activity. If any activity is discovered that they believe is malicious, they may:

• seek to block the address the email came from, so it can no longer send emails;
• work with hosting companies to remove links to malicious websites;
• raise awareness of commonly reported suspicious emails and methods used (via partners).

Every report receives an automated email response. While the NCSC is unable to inform the reporter of the outcome of its review, they do act upon every message received.

The automated response also states that SERS is not to be used to report a crime. If a person thinks they have been a victim of fraud or cyber crime, it is important that they should report this to Action Fraud (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and Police Scotland (in Scotland). Reports received are analysed by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau and, where there is sufficient evidence, disseminated to an appropriate force for investigation. Action Fraud, as part of this process, also has the means to direct victims to specialist support organisations.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in responsible for investigating email spam direct marketing and has recently launched a reporting tool to make reporting spam emails easier, including unsolicited adult content emails. If an individual receives sexually explicit spam, they should consider making a report to the ICO on their website and selecting ‘adult content’. The online form is available at: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/nuisance-calls-and-messages/spam-emails/report-spam-emails/

Where a complaint or series of complaints are received that relate to direct marketing, and where sufficient information has been provided to assess whether a potential breach of the legislation has taken place, the ICO will use the intelligence gathered to direct its investigation. Complaints made to the ICO must meet this threshold in order for a proportionate investigation to be undertaken, and we would expect them to do so where a reasonable case exists. However, the ICO can only investigate concerns about marketing emails from identifiable UK senders and not from those outside of the UK. International collaboration agreements are in place with a number of overseas bodies to cooperate and exchange information to try and stop spam emails, including sexually explicit spam, being sent from those countries.

Direct marketing, which includes spam emails containing sexually explicit content, is regulated by the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR). The legislation is enforced by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the independent data protection regulator responsible for regulating unsolicited emails. The legislation specifies that organisations must only send emails to individuals who have agreed to receive them, except where there is a clearly defined customer relationship. Where an individual has received sexually explicit spam, they should consider making a report to the ICO for further investigation on their website. The ICO has the powers to impose civil penalties of up to £500,000 in the case of serious contraventions of the PECR and can take other proportionate enforcement action.

Addressing Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) is a top priority of this Government. We have reopened the Call for Evidence for the upcoming Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy to provide members of the public with a further opportunity to share their views. We are also currently analysing responses received to the Call for Evidence so far, including from the violence against women and girls sector and law enforcement to develop a new Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, which will be published later this year. This will help us to better target perpetrators and support victims of these crimes, and increase our ability to tackle, new and emerging forms of violence against women and girls - such as those perpetrated through digital or online, including revenge porn or sexually explicit spam.

It is not for the government to comment on the journalistic practice of offering a right of reply, and the confidentiality of such correspondence.

Direct marketing, including spam emails, are regulated by the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR) which is enforced by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the independent data protection regulator. PECR regulates unsolicited marketing emails and specifies organisations must only send these to individuals who have agreed to receive them, except where there is a clearly defined customer relationship.

The ICO has the powers to impose civil monetary penalties of up to £500,000 for serious contraventions of the PECR. In cases where a clear and serious breach of the legislation has taken place, the ICO will take direct action and/or enforcement action.

In a situation where someone sends a scam email with the intention of defrauding another person, this conduct is already likely to constitute an offence under the Fraud Act 2006.

The use of tracking technology is already regulated by the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation. This legislation gives individuals specific privacy rights in relation to organisations’ use of cookies, tracking pixels and similar technologies that track information about people accessing a website or other electronic services. It also requires organisations to give people clear and comprehensive information about the use of tracking technologies, and a choice about whether or not they are applied on devices.

The ICO has produced the attached guidance for organisations on the use of tracking technologies, available on its website at:

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-pecr/guidance-on-the-use-of-cookies-and-similar-technologies/what-are-cookies-and-similar-technologies/#cookies5

All organisations in the UK that process personal information must comply with the requirements of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA). In addition, organisations are also regulated by the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR), which gives individuals specific privacy rights in relation to electronic communications. This includes communications that use cookies, tracking pixels, or similar technologies, to track information about people accessing a website or other electronic services.

The PECR requires organisations to give people clear and comprehensive information about the use of tracking technologies and give people a choice on whether or not they are applied on their devices.

The ICO has produced guidance for organisations on the use of tracking technologies, available on its website at:

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-pecr/guidance-on-the-use-of-cookies-and-similar-technologies/what-are-cookies-and-similar-technologies/#cookies5

People cannot respond this consultation by email. We do not have a dedicated email inbox set up for the consultation. This is to ensure all responses are processed securely and following data protection best practice. The Department’s preferred method of response to the consultation is via submission online at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/home-use-of-both-pills-for-early-medical-abortion

HM Treasury is considering all Budget representations submitted ahead of this year’s Budget, including those submitted via the budget.representations@hmtreasury.gov.uk email address.

The Government’s Budget representations online portal closed on 14 January. This early deadline allows time for representations to be processed and factored into policy-making. Any outstanding representations should be submitted directly to HM Treasury as soon as possible.

As of 31 December 2020, 11,298 applications were approved, with 12,849 vouchers issued by email to successful applicants.

Her Majesty's Government is acutely aware of the cyber security risks associated with the use of third-party digital services and software. The contracting authority for the procurement of any such product or service is responsible for assessing and managing that risk.

The reported compromise is a complex, global cyber incident, and the Government is working with international partners to understand its scale and assess any UK impact. As the investigation into this incident is ongoing I cannot comment on any operational details.

The National Cyber Security Centre has published guidance on their website.

Due to the risk of personal data being compromised through email, this service is restricted to general enquiries, however it is available as a reasonable adjustment on request.

For claimants with a disability or health condition who require email as they need information to be provided in an alternative format we can accept the security risk and allow use of email.

Once a customer has submitted an appeal to Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) the customer engages with HMCTS from this point to provide information and evidence relevant to their PIP appeal. In most PIP appeal cases, additional evidence provided is then digitally shared with DWP as a party to the appeal, therefore an email address is not necessary.

The £2.74 email charge is levied to fund the commercial contract. The UK government believes it is right those who use and benefit directly from the UK immigration system make an appropriate contribution towards meeting its costs. Those who use the services are predominantly from outside the UK, with GOV.UK providing the main source of information and advice, free of charge.

The Home Office uses SITEL UK Ltd for the provision of Contact Centre Services (UK and International) including overseas customer email enquiries. Further details of the financial arrangement in place between the Home Office and SITEL UK Ltd including revenue generated by email enquiries, is not available due to it being commercially sensitive.

The information requested is not available in the format requested. We publish the number of non-complex contacts who were reached and advised to self-isolate within 24 hours of the case being transferred to the contact tracing system on GOV.UK.