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Burstow welcomes Sex Offences Bill
November 20, 2002 2:00 PM
Burstow welcomes Sex Offence Bill
Paul Burstow MP, Liberal Democrat Member of the Government's Internet Taskforce, commenting on the publication of the Sexual Offences Bill, said:
"Protecting our children, whether on the Internet or anywhere else, has to be our top priority. The Internet brings massive benefits, opening up a world of opportunities for young people, but sadly, it also brings new risks."
" "
"There should be no hiding places, online or offline, for the insidious
activities of paedophiles.
"The police, the Internet industry and child protection organisations"
"represented on the Task Force are to be congratulated for delivering some impressive results in a short space of time. "
"I am pleased to see that the Government is now getting down to the practical side of tackling this most important and delicate of issues."
"ENDS"
"Notes to editors."
"Paul Burstow MP launched his campaign to protect children on the internet in October 2000 following the Patrick Green case."
"He met with Ministers such as Charles Clarke in February 2001, tabled Parliamentary Questions, House of Commons motions and culminated in a Question to the Prime Minister in late February 2001:"
"Q5. [149933] Mr. Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): Last year, a paedophile used a teenage internet chat room to approach a 12-year-old girl in my constituency. He groomed her online to entice her to an offline meeting for sexual purposes. As many as one in five children who use internet chat rooms are approached by paedophiles in that way. Will the Prime Minister take steps to review the law to ensure that such online grooming is a criminal offence and bring pressure to bear on internet service providers, so that they offer parents chat-free services and all our children can be protected? "
"The Prime Minister: The hon. Gentleman makes a very important point. I am informed by the Home Secretary that earlier today he had a meeting on that very subject. We are actively considering doing what the hon. Gentleman has just suggested. Perhaps when our deliberations have finished I can contact him and tell him the result of that. "
"Two weeks later the Prime Minister announced the setting up of the Internet Taskforce which Paul Burstow MP was asked to become a member of. There are no other opposition MPs on the Taskforce."
"It has been meeting regularly for the last 18 months. Mr Burstow has attended all but 1 of the meetings."
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