Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP is concerned about the increase in online fraud during the pandemic.
What discussions has the right hon. Gentleman had with the Home Secretary on tackling online fraud during the covid-19 outbreak?
The Government are concerned about online fraud and are very much aware that criminals and fraudsters are attempting to exploit the concern around covid-19. My officials have been working closely with the Home Office, as well as with the National Cyber Security Centre and the National Crime Agency, throughout the covid-19 outbreak. We have published official Government advice to help the public to stay safe and secure online, and we launched the new Cyber Aware campaign in April, offering the public online security advice.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific measures or actions taken with Home Secretary
Under Review
Response accuracy
Q2
Direct Answer
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Context
Local councillors in Tettenhall Regis, Wolverhampton, have launched online and social media training for over-65s before the pandemic.
What is my right hon. Friend going to do to upskill those with little or no online skills?
I am happy to join my hon. Friend in congratulating the councillors in Tettenhall Regis on that initiative. It is absolutely right that during this crisis, more and more people have been carrying out tasks such as shopping, banking and keeping in touch online. We are very much aware that it has now become all the more essential to tackle the digital divide that already existed. The Government are funding the future digital inclusion programme to give people the skills that they need to participate in this increasingly digital world. Since 2014, the programme has supported more than 1.4 million adult learners to develop their basic skills. We have also delivered a £400,000 digital inclusion innovation fund, which is designed to tackle digital exclusion among older and disabled people.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The Public Accounts Committee previously raised concerns about inaction following reports of online fraud.
How will the Minister make sure that key players, such as banks, are sharing real-time information with each other to catch scammers before they raid constituents' bank accounts?
The hon. Lady is absolutely right that online fraud is an increasing problem and there needs to be much more co-ordinated action to tackle it. However, a great deal has been done. A persistent stream of coronavirus frauds has been reported to Action Fraud—2,057 have been reported in the past few months, making up around 3% of all fraud reports. The National Cyber Security Centre has launched a major campaign called Cyber Aware to provide practical advice to the public, and has also launched a groundbreaking suspicious-email-reporting service, which allows members of the public to forward any suspicious emails to Cyber Aware to be analysed, and if they are found to be fraudulent, the harmful sites will be taken down.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific real-time information sharing measures
Under Review
Response accuracy