Russell Findlay (West
Scotland) (Con)
The National Crime
Agency has estimated that up to 850,000 people in the UK
pose a sexual threat to children. That is a truly horrifying and
terrifying statistic. Two years ago, Police Scotland’s
award-winning get help or get caught campaign targeted people who
might seek to groom children online or in real life. Given the
constant online threat to children, will the Government be
introducing any similar measures or initiatives?
The Cabinet Secretary for
Justice and Veterans ()
We work very closely with the UK Government in that general area.
We have done so in relation to its Online Safety Bill, a number
of provisions of which relate to exactly the kind of crimes that
Russell Findlay is talking about. It is best that we work
together with the UK Government, as we do, on issues that have no
borders—there are no borders online. If we did not do so, that
would not be an effective mechanism to stop such crimes, so we
work in conjunction with the UK Government and other partners.
The Scottish Police Authority, through the serious organised
crime group, looks at a number of ways in which children can be
victims through online activity. That includes human trafficking
as well as sexual abuse.
A great deal of work is on-going. I am happy to provide Russell
Findlay with further information on other initiatives in writing.
