BETTER support is needed for victims of cyber crime, according to a Bolton MP.

Julie Hilling, MP for Bolton West, has now called for a debate on internet fraud and the performance of investigators and prosecutors.

During a debate with the leader of the House of Commons, William Hague, she said: “An increasing number of constituents are contacting me with concerns about how they have been treated after becoming victims of internet crime.

“With internet fraud taking over as the crime of choice, fraud not appearing as a crime statistic, and a lack of information about prosecutions and the effectiveness of Action Fraud, may we have a debate on internet fraud and the performance of investigators and prosecutors?”

Mr Hague welcomed the idea but said he could not give her ‘Government time’, instead asking that a backbench business committee discuss the issue.

He said: “The development of the internet is bringing immense social and economic benefits, but it is also bringing dangers and more crime is moving on to the web. As a result, people need to know how to deal with such crime. That would be quite a good subject for a debate.”