of Cotes (Con): Can I check
something with my noble friend? This is where the illogicality
is. The Government have mandated in the Strategic Policing
Requirement that violence against women and girls is a national
threat. I do not disagree with him that other groups of people
will absolutely suffer abuse and online violence, but the
Government themselves have said that violence against women and
girls is a national threat. I understand that my noble friend has
the speaking notes, the brief and everything else, so I am not
sure how far we will get on this tonight, but, given the Home
Office stance on it, I think that to say that this is not a
specific threat would be a mistake.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for
Culture, Media and Sport ( of Whitley Bay) (Con): With
respect, I do not think that that is a perfect comparison. The
Strategic Policing Requirement is an operational policing
document intended for chief constables and Police
and Crime Commissioners in the important work that
they do, to make sure they have due regard for national threats
as identified by the Home Secretary. It is not something designed
for commercial technology companies. The approach we are taking
in the Bill is to address harms that can affect all people and
which we know disproportionately affect women and girls, and
harms that we know disproportionately affect other groups of
people as well.
