A cross-departmental committee is to be established to examine measures for the prevention of child sexual abuse, the home secretary has announced.

Home Office minister Baroness Scotland will chair the committee, which will include representatives from the departments of health, education and skills, constitutional affairs, work and pensions and trade and industry, as well as the legal secretariat and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Keys issues include introducing preventative measures to tackle offenders, monitoring the effectiveness of the Sexual Offences Bill, and providing support for victims.

The move follows the establishment of a similar body to consider the issues surrounding domestic violence.

All crime has a damaging effect on individuals and communities. But sexual crime, especially against children, can tear apart the very fabric of society," said David Blunkett

"The Sexual Offences Bill contains a series of measures to protect children and the most vulnerable.

"It introduces new offences with severe penalties against those who sexually exploit children and tightens up on the monitoring of sex offenders.

"It brings in a new offence of grooming, which will protect children from the insidious use of the internet by paedophiles; and for the first time, sexual intercourse with children under 13 will be called rape."

Blunkett said ministers wanted to "provide a clear, coherent and effective set of laws" that would increase protection of the public and enable the appropriate punishment of abusers in a non-discriminatory manner.

"It is vital that once the legislation is in place it is implemented effectively."