The Government's commitment to introduce the bill was included in the Queen's Speech, delivered yesterday morning. Details of the bill will be published later this year. It is expected, however, that the new law will make it an offence to use the internet with the intention to contact and abuse children.
A Home Office spokesman told the media that the bill will introduce "a clear, coherent and effective set of laws" to deal with sexual abuse. He added that the bill will generally provide for civil orders to restrain individuals from contacting children for sexual purposes, whether on-line or off-line, but it will also include specific measures against internet grooming.
Meanwhile, the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has announced that it has listed 51 internet newsgroups that allegedly carry child abuse images. The list, the IWF said, also includes a further 25 newsgroups with names that appear to advertise or advocate paedophilia. The lists are strictly confidential but will be disclosed to UK ISPs upon application.