Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 7
7
Deferred
Enhance national policing system's capacity to monitor social media and support local forces.
Conclusion
The new national system for policing should include enhanced capacity to monitor and respond to social media at the national level, while also supporting forces to develop the necessary capacity. (Recommendation, Paragraph 31)
Government response summary AI-generated
The government states that the Home Secretary has provided £28.3 million in funding to police forces to cover the additional costs of policing past disorder, paid in full in May 2025. This response does not address the recommendation for enhanced national capacity to monitor and respond to social media.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government · verbatim extract
Deferred
The Home Office and its Agencies has and continues to use open-source material to good effect to support a range of missions. This has included support to tackle illegal migration operations and associated organised crime along with support to crisis management response. We have considered plans to strengthen this capability to protect the public and this includes consideration of a range of options including a more centralised approach. We have worked both internally with partners and the tech sector on specific proposals which will require financial investment. Decisions have not been taken on the form that stronger open source capability may take and proposals will continue to be considered. All options are being considered to ensure that government has the appropriate information to fulfil our public duties, and we will always consider maximising effectiveness and efficiency by bringing capabilities and people together.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗