Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many investigations into online child abuse have been delayed for 12 months or longer after being reported to the National Crime Agency; and how long the average delay is in investigating such cases.

Every referral of child sexual abuse reported to the National Crime Agency (NCA) is thoroughly assessed and developed. All cases where potential suspects are identified are disseminated to a UK police force, actioned by the NCA, or disseminated to a foreign jurisdiction via Interpol. It is for each of the recipients to assess the intelligence and potential for prosecution and to take executive action appropriately. Information on these investigations is not held centrally, except for NCA investigations. No investigations by the NCA into
online child sexual abuse have been subject to delays of 12 months or longer since its inception on 7 October 2013.