Terrorism: Anti-terrorist Hotline

Questions

Asked by

Baroness Neville-Jones
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many calls have been received by the anti-terrorist hotline in each quarter since its introduction. [HL4412]

To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the purpose of the anti-terrorist hotline at its inception. [HL4413]

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the anti-terrorist hotline. [HL4414]

To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they have spent on the anti-terrorist hotline in each year since its introduction; and what proportion of its funding was spent on publicity. [HL4415]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead)
The confidential anti-terrorist hotline is administered by the Metropolitan Police Service. The hotline receives, on average, 243 calls per month.

In March 2009, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) launched a national media campaign to raise counterterrorism awareness. The anti-terrorist hotline received more than 1,800 calls in March 2009 and more than 1,100 in April 2009.

The anti-terrorist hotline is a 24-hour facility for members of the public to volunteer information to specially-trained police officers, in confidence, regarding any activity which they suspect to be terrorism-related.

The police service considers the anti-terrorist hotline to be a valuable means for the public to volunteer information in confidence. It is assessed that more than 80 per cent of calls received by the hotline contain information relevant to terrorist activity.

It is estimated that the anti-terrorist hotline costs approximately £120,000 to run each year.

A national media campaign to raise counterterrorism awareness was launched earlier this year by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), costing a total of £1.7 million. The anti-terrorist hotline number was included in all related publicity material.