To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the operating budget was of the Child Exploitation Online Protection centre in each month since its inception in 2006; and how many dedicated staff were employed by it in each year. (190815)

The Child Exploitation Online Protection Centre (CEOP) receives an annual budget from the Home Office, which is paid through the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) to which it is affiliated. In addition to the Home Office grant, CEOP receives significant levels of support from industry and the third sector.

In 2007-08, CEOP received an annual budget (from the Home Office) of £5.657 million and an annual budget of £5.110 million in 2006-07.

At the end of CEOP’s first operational year 2006-07, it had nearly 80 staff, of whom, 10 were seconded from partner agencies. The figure is now 115, of which, 24 posts are either provided free by partners or are funded externally for discrete projects.