To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been brought following investigations by the e-crime unit in the Serious Organised Crime Agency since its establishment. (269674)

From April 2006 until March 2008, as stated in response to House of Commons question answered on 11 March 2008, Official Report, column 357W, the Serious Organised Crime Agency’s e-crime unit was involved in 15 convictions. SOCA’s annual report detailing its performance for 2008-09 will be published in May 2009.

The child exploitation and online protection centre (CEOP) was involved over the same period in the investigation of offences of alleged child abuse where technology may have been a factor.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funds her Department has allocated to tackle internet crime in each year since 2001. (269675)

The Home Office allocated funding of more than £30 million for e-crime from 2001-06 inclusive. Part of these funds were used to establish the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU) in the then National Crime Squad, as well as transitional funding for computer forensic officers in forces.

The Government have allocated £3.5 million to the Police Central e-crime Unit (PCeU) over three years from 2008-09 with the Metropolitan Police Service contributing £3.9 million over the same three year period.

The SOCA E-crime Unit is funded from the SOCA budget and the unit has had a budget of £9.8 million over three years.

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) established in 2006 is funded from the SOCA budget and in 2006-07 CEOP received £5.1 million, £5.726 million for 2007-08 and £6.27 million for 2008-09.