Intimidation: Internet

Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent steps the Government has taken to tackle online bullying.

Kevin Brennan
The Government have taken a range of steps to tackle online bullying. We have enacted legislation giving school staff clear statutory power to confiscate mobile phones and discipline pupils for bad behaviour off school premises. We have made practical guidance on tackling cyberbullying available to all schools; and we will soon be making a curriculum resource pack dealing with cyberbullying available to teachers. We have also asked the Department’s Cyberbullying Task Force, which brings together teacher unions and internet service providers, to consider what more can be done to prevent cyberbullying of school staff.

In addition, the Government have accepted the recommendations of the Byron Review of children and new technology. These include the establishment of a UK Council for Child Internet Safety, to provide strategic leadership for all work to protect children on the internet, as well as a major social marketing campaign and initiatives to support parents, schools and children services to help children manage online risks, including those from cyberbullying.