Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Home Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Diana Johnson Excerpts
Monday 6th July 2015

(9 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Mike Penning Portrait Mike Penning
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So-called legal highs or psychoactive substances are a menace to our society. I am really pleased that Her Majesty’s Opposition, along with the other parties in the other House, are supporting the Psychoactive Substances Bill, which is coming to this House for its Report stage on 15 July. It will be here soon and we can get this menace off our streets.

Diana Johnson Portrait Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab)
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A growing area of crime is online abuse. The police suspect at least 20,000 people in the United Kingdom of accessing online abuse, but, as of March 2015, only 264 have been charged. It is unclear how many of the rest are living or working with children. When does the Minister expect the police to be able to follow up and carry out safeguarding assessments of all those suspected of viewing online child abuse?

Mike Penning Portrait Mike Penning
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The National Crime Agency has ongoing reviews, and investigations are taking place. We want more of these people to be prosecuted. [Interruption.] Labour Front Benchers shout, but this is something new: it has happened only in the past five years. The NCA is working on it and we will make sure that we get as many of these people behind bars, if prosecutions are possible.