According to the National Crime Agency there has been an "exponential surge" in the volume of child sexual abuse referrals.

The home secretary says: "They tell me it is one of the most challenging threats we face. This is a vile crime, with thousands of victims around the world."

She announces that the government is investing in a technology developed in Canada called Project Arachnid.

It's software that "crawls, spider-like across the web, identifying images of child sexual abuse, and getting them taken down, at an unprecedented rate".

Northern Ireland has a "frozen conflict", says European Parliament coordinator Guy Verhofstadt.

There's laughter when the home secretary says she's done something "very unusual" for a politician in current times.

"I’ve spoken for this long without mentioning Brexit."

She goes on to set out her position, saying: "The country made a clear decision. I have said it before, and I say it again - I fully respect the result."

Ms Rudd - who was one of the key referendum Remain campaigners - adds that, along with the Brexit Secretary David Davis, she has proposed an "ambitious" new security treaty.

She says it will mean that the UK can continue to work with European allies post-Brexit.

The home secretary turns to her announcement today on changes to the law on viewing terrorist content online.

The plan is to introduce legislation to ensure that people who repeatedly view terror material could face up to 15 years in prison.

At present, it's only an offence to download or store such material.

Amber Rudd says: "If we’re going to keep people safe we need to disrupt plots in their early stages. Many such plots will include some element of online radicalisation."

Amber Rudd says the UK faces an "unpredictable threat" from terrorism - from “lone wolf actors” to those "radicalised online in their bedrooms, to Da’esh groups hiding in the ruins of Raqqah".

She adds that the UK also faces a "real and growing" threat from the extreme right.

She reveals that while five plots "got through this year" seven were also stopped by the security services - a revelation that prompts applause from the conference hall.

The home secretary insists that the "huge investment" being made in counter-terrorism is saving lives.

On stage now is the Home Secretary Amber Rudd, who starts her speech by recalling the terror attacks in Manchester and in London.

"Standing here in Manchester it is impossible to forget the sight of this proud city, shrouded in grief, after a pop concert in May."

She says that in the aftermath of the attack in Manchester, communities came together.

"It is such displays of courage in the face of terror, of resilience, and of compassion, that I think should make us proud. Proud of the spirit which pulls us all together, in defiance of those who would harm us.

"This is what I believe Britain is about. And this is the spirit we must harness to build a safer, more united Britain."

Image source, PA

Earlier, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt linked the Conservative Party to the creation of the NHS, saying Tory minister Sir Henry Willink published a white paper about it in 1944, and talked about the cross-party support the NHS had.

The National Health Service came into being in 1948 under a Labour government and shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth told the website PoliticsHome, external: "Jeremy Hunt's claim the Tories created the NHS is laughable.

"The Tories fought it tooth and nail all the way through Parliament on a three line whip. In fact they voted against the creation of the NHS 22 times."

Mr Ashworth also accused the Conservatives of having "under-funded and tried to sell off the NHS".

Bear Grylls concludes by saying that his experiences taught him to "fight for what you believe in and never give up".

He recalls that that's "the same lesson that my late father taught me as a young boy".

His father was the Conservative MP Sir Michael Grylls.

And he has a plea for the Prime Minister - £50 million would help the scouting movement bring in a further 55,000 young people into the "family".

Ex-minister Stephen Crabb contrasts efforts under Andrew RT Davies with the Scottish Tories.

DUP leader Arlene Foster has said "solid progress" has been made in talks with Sinn Féin but "differences remain".

Speaking at an event at the Conservative Party conference, she said discussions had intensified.

Sinn Féin's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill said a breakthrough was possible.

She warned that the government could not cobble together a deal acceptable to the DUP and shoehorn Sinn Féin in.

Speaking at the same event, Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire said Westminster may soon have to set a budget for Northern Ireland.

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Bear Grylls says the scouting movement is extremely popular and is attracting young people from all religions.

"In fact we're experiencing such overwhelming demand, as scouts we can't keep up, not by a long margin."

He says there are 55,000 young people on the waiting list to join the scouts.

"I'm here to show you, the government of our nation, that the truth is there is a sea of young people out there desperate for the British scouting values that we provide."

MEPs hit out at British divisions as Nigel Farage says the EU is "treating us like a hostage".

Next up on stage is Bear Grylls, adventurer, TV presenter and Chief Scout.

First, he gets the delegates - and the photographers - to stand up and stretch. Then, he stresses that he's not at the conference representing any political party.

He says he's there because of the wonderful things young people are doing.

He praises the scout movement, calling it a "worldwide force for good".

The European Parliament has passed a non-binding motion on the Brexit talks which they debated this morning.

The resolution recommends that, barring a "major breakthrough", EU leaders should not agree to open the next phase of talks at a meeting later this month.

The motion urges leaders to declare “sufficient progress” has not yet been made on the priority areas identified by the EU: guarantees on citizen's rights, a financial settlement and the Irish border.

It also accuses the UK of having "seriously impeded" talks over money through a lack of "clear proposals".

The motion was backed by 557 MEPs, with 92 against and 29 abstentions.

Rodney Bickerstaffe, former general secretary of trade unions Unison and Nupe, has died.

Current Unison leader Dave Prentis called him "a great personal friend to many of us and a dedicated champion of all the union members he proudly represented throughout his career".

He said Mr Bickerstaffe would be remembered for his role in the creation of Unison and a national minimum wage.

Mr Prentis added: "At the time of Rodney’s death it is worth reflecting on his response during the Winter of Discontent to the question: ‘What about the dignity of the dead?’

"Rodney replied: ‘What about the dignity of the living?’"

David Lidington ends his speech with a rallying cry for One Nation Conservatism.

There should be "no social challenge, however tough, that we should fear to address", he tells his party.

This includes "the great cause of penal reform".