Yvette Cooper MP, Shadow Home Secretary, responding to the Prime Minister’s speech on child abuse, said:

“The international action the Prime Minister has announced is welcome, but he’s still not doing enough to address serious problems in the policing of serious child abuse and escalating online crime at home.

“Many of today’s announcements are addressing gaps that the Government created a few years ago. The partnership with GCHQ is restoring joint working that they cancelled in 2010. And the child images database replaces one the Government closed down in 2011.

“The stronger law is in fact a Labour amendment to the criminal justice bill that the Government said was not necessary 6 weeks ago. It’s very welcome that they have changed their minds.

“But most important, they still aren’t dealing with the serious backlog of investigations at the National Crime Agency where thousands of cases of potential abuse are still not being properly pursued, and there are long delays in serious investigations.

“The Government is right to talk about the importance of tackling this serious crime. But much more still needs to be done.”

ENDS