To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has made an estimate of the number of people who regularly use internet sites to solicit prostitutes; whether he has plans to seek to prevent the use of the internet for such purposes; and if he will make a statement. (316077)

[holding answer 9 February 2010]: In September 2009, the Minister for Women and Equality wrote to the Governor and the Attorney General of California to outline the Government's concerns regarding a particular website believed to be hosted in California. We want see sites like it closed down and are exploring the options for what can be done and the merits in approaches taken in other jurisdictions.

As part of the Violence Against Women Strategy, published in November 2009, the Government have also made a commitment to explore what action can be taken to challenge the advertising of prostitution.

The Government have not made an estimate of the number of people who regularly use internet sites to solicit prostitutes.