Home Office

This Government is committed to reducing crime in rural areas, with tougher measures to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, strengthened neighbourhood policing and stronger measures to prevent farm theft and fly-tipping.

The government recognises the distress livestock worrying can cause animals and their keepers. We are considering the most effective ways to deliver our commitments in this area and will be setting out next steps in due course.

We are also committed to implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023 and support its intentions to fend off the theft and re-sale of high-value equipment, particularly equipment used in an agricultural setting.I met with Ruth Bailey, CEO of Agriculture Association on the 5th November 2024 .

The Act requires secondary legislation before it can come into effect. We are currently considering the views of those who may be affected by the legislation and its regulations, including manufacturers, to understand the potential implications and determine the scope of the legislation, including what equipment it will include.

The Home Office does not currently centrally collate information on the number of non-crime hate incidents recorded by individual police forces.

The Home Office holds information on consultancy fees and reports this in its Annual Report and Accounts.

Refer to the links and pages below for the available published information that relates to consultancy spending.

Pages 155-157 (Pages 159-161 on the pdf reader) of the 2023-24 Home Office Annual Report and Accounts

Home Office Annual Report and Accounts 2023 to 2024 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Pages 173-175 of the 2022-23 Home Office Annual Report and Accounts

Home Office Annual Report and Accounts 2022-2023 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Pages 107-108 of the the 2022-23 Home Office Annual Report and Accounts

Home_Office_ARA_21-22_Final_-_Gov.uk.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Pages 99-101 of the 2020-21 Home Office Annual Report and Accounts

HO annual report and accounts 2020-21 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Information relating to financial year 2024-25 will be available following the end of the financial year and once the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts have been laid before Parliament.

Note that the Home Office reports by its financial year (April-March), rather than on a calendar year basis.

Pregabalin is currently controlled under Class C of the Misuse of Dugs Act 1971. The Government takes expert advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), which is the independent advisory body on drugs, on the classification of substances under the 1971 Act and scheduling under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.

Controlled drugs are placed in the appropriate class and schedule following consideration of advice from the ACMD on the potential harms of misuse, and an assessment of their medicinal or therapeutic usefulness and the need for legitimate access. The ACMD announced in February this year that they are looking to launch an updated harms assessment for gabapentinoids, which includes pregabalin, to review the position of these drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The Government will consider the findings of the ACMD’s review once published.

The ACMD’s work programme is available on the Gov.UK website: ACMD work programme 2024 - GOV.UK

Chief Constables have operational responsibility for consideration of firearms licensing applications and the allocation of resources to firearms licensing units.

However, we expect police forces to ensure that all applications for firearm certificates, whether new applications or those for renewal, are dealt with as efficiently as possible subject to addressing public safety risks.

The Government will fully compensate police forces for the impact of the changes to National Insurance Employer contributions.

Details on the allocation of this funding will be confirmed at the provisional police settlement in mid-December.

This Government wants to ensure that policing has the support that they need so that they can get back to tackling the issues that that matter to the public. That is why we are delivering an additional 13,000 police officers, PCSOs and special constables in neighbourhood policing roles and ensuring every community has a named officer to turn to.

We are considering the implementation of our plans around neighbourhood policing and the growth in neighbourhood officers as a key priority. We are doing this alongside key partners across policing to ensure that we deliver an effective plan that delivers the best service for the public.

I refer the Honourable Member to the statistics published on Thursday 28 November by the Home Office which can be found on the Migration statistics gov.uk page.

Data on Foreign national offenders in UK prisons is available in the House of Lords Library and comes from the Ministry of Justice’s Offender management statistics quarterly release.

The Home Office has published guidance for determining who can be detained under immigration powers including those who are seeking asylum.

‘Detained Asylum Casework’ sets out for the criteria for our caseworkers to determine under which circumstances asylum claimants may be detained, and their claims routed for consideration and decision under the process. This is available at the link below:

detained-asylum-process-v5.0.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk).

‘Detention: general instructions’ sets out the criteria for making detention decisions and deciding whether to maintain detention. This is available at the link below:

Detention: general instructions (accessible) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

The Government has made clear the that the migration partnership with Rwanda will end. Consequently, the Government is considering all options connected with ending that partnership, including for the entirety of the Illegal Migration Act 2023. Legislative plans will be published in due course.

I refer the Honourable Member to PQ 4812.

We expect all suppliers operating on behalf of the Home Office to treat detained individuals with decency and respect, behaving in line with the high standards outlined in the Detention Centre Rules, published operating standards and service delivery contracts.

A range of safety and security safeguards operate in all IRCs to ensure the safety of all detained individuals, staff and visitors.

The Home Office is reviewing current processes in relation to violence prevention and use of force and have introduced a programme focused on improving the overall culture in IRCs. A new staffing model delivers a considerably improved ratio of custodial staff per detained individual. This is tailored to each centre’s requirements and layout, deploying staff where they are most needed as they support detained individuals in their journey through detention.

There are currently no plans to introduce a time limit on immigration detention. This would risk significantly weakening our ability to remove those who have breached our immigration laws or who refuse to leave the UK voluntarily.

To date, we have had no such discussions.

Since the launch of our Ukraine schemes, the UK has offered or extended sanctuary to nearly 300,000 Ukrainians.

The UK’s support for Ukraine remains steadfast and, together with our partners and allies, the UK stands in solidarity with Ukraine and condemns the Russian Government’s unprovoked and premeditated war against Ukraine.

The Homes for Ukraine Scheme remains open and available to new applications. These applications must be sponsored by someone who is British, Irish or settled.

Our Ukraine schemes are kept under continual review as we look to provide stability for those we have welcomed to the UK and those who still need our sanctuary.

Safety & Security declarations are a key dataset that will enhance Home Office capability to protect the border. We have already undertaken a discovery exercise on the operationalisation of this data for the purposes of detecting high risk movements of goods. On the basis of that discovery our approach in 2025 will be to:

• Use the existing HMRC Safety & Security Great Britain (S&S GB) system to risk assess EU traffic using the new EU S&S data. This will commence as soon as data is available on 31 January 2025.
• Build new risking capability to exploit the data within our CERBERUS Border Risking Data Analytics system. This work will commence in Q4 24-25 and continue throughout the SR period. It will ensure that we make the best use of S&S data by fusing it with wider border data and intelligence. Our 2025 priority is the roll off (RoRo) ferry mode where we see the greatest threat and largest operational dividend.

The Home Office already uses Rest of the World S&S data to risk RoW traffic.

Whilst there are currently no plans to change queuing arrangements at the UK Border, those arrangements remain under constant review in order to prioritise security, maintain fluidity and ensure that we continue to run our border in the UK's best interests.

As the quickest and most efficient method of crossing the border, we encourage all eligible passengers to make use of the e-Gates at our ports of entry where possible.

It is the responsibility of His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to assess the operational performance of forces in England and Wales. We work closely with the Inspectorate to monitor individual forces’ performance.

Roger Hirst, as the directly elected Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) for Essex, is responsible for holding the Chief Constable to account for the performance of Essex Police.

To drive up performance and standards across forces, ensuring communities can have confidence in their local police force, the Home Secretary announced on 19 November that she intends to create a new Performance Unit in the Home Office. This will harness national data to monitor performance and direct improvements, building on the existing work of the College of Policing, HMICFRS, National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and PCCs.

It is the responsibility of His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to assess the operational performance of forces in England and Wales. We work closely with the Inspectorate to monitor individual forces’ performance.

Roger Hirst, as the directly elected Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) for Essex, is responsible for holding the Chief Constable to account for the performance of Essex Police.

To drive up performance and standards across forces, ensuring communities can have confidence in their local police force, the Home Secretary announced on 19 November that she intends to create a new Performance Unit in the Home Office. This will harness national data to monitor performance and direct improvements, building on the existing work of the College of Policing, HMICFRS, National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and PCCs.

We have taken a number of steps to support people with the rollout and transition to eVisas.

We are running targeted communications to raise awareness of the decommissioning of physical immigration documents and our move to eVisas, and to encourage people to create a UKVI account and access their eVisa. This includes developing various communications materials, informative videos, guidance available at www.gov.uk/evisa, and engagement with stakeholders.

Support is available through the eVisa grant funded network of organisations for vulnerable holders of physical immigration documents who require support in making the transition to eVisa. There are a number of national grant funded bodies and community-based organisations spread across the UK, which offer immediate, free support for vulnerable people in their transition to an eVisa throughout the rest of 2024, and beyond. Details of support available, including the list of organisations is available on GOV.UK at: eVisa: community support for vulnerable people - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Our Assisted Digital service is available in the UK to provide individual support by phone, email and in-person to those with low/no digital skills or access, or who require assistance with IT-related aspects of creating a UKVI account.

People can also contact the UKVI Resolution Centre, which provides support via email and webchat to those creating their UKVI account, and telephone support to those using the online immigration status services.

Where a person is unable to manage their own affairs due to, for example, age or disability, a ‘proxy’, who is authorised, can create and manage the account on behalf of the person.

People can also nominate a ‘helper’ and give them limited access to their account, so that they can assist with creating a UKVI account, completing details to access an eVisa, and with any immigration application.

Successful visa applicants receive written confirmation by email or letter that they have been granted permission, which they can keep for their personal records. Where this document cannot be used as evidence of their status, these printed documents can be used when interacting with the Home Office should any subsequent issues be encountered with their eVisa. Customers may also wish to print out their eVisa profile page if they would like a physical version for their own records.

We are taking further steps to reduce the number of circumstances where people need to provide evidence of their immigration status, by developing services to make the relevant immigration status information available automatically through system to system checks with other government departments and the NHS, removing the need for people to prove their status themselves.

We have enabled transport operators including airlines, ferries, and international trains to securely and automatically access the immigration status of passengers travelling on their services when they present their passport which is linked to their eVisa for a more convenient journey. We have also established a 24/7 Carrier Support Hub in case a carrier does not receive confirmation of the passenger’s immigration status.

A partner pack of readily shareable content, including factsheets and social media content, has been developed and shared with other government departments and third-party support networks which they can use to disseminate eVisa information to people with whom they engage. We have also issued press notices about the transition to eVisas, and delivered detailed media briefings with UK and International media outlets.

The Home Office is moving to a digital immigration system, and there are no plans to issue physical documents in future.

Successful visa applicants receive written confirmation by email or letter that they have been granted permission and have a digital immigration status, which they can keep for their personal records. These printed documents can be used when interacting with the Home Office should any subsequent issues be encountered with their eVisa. People may also wish to print out their eVisa profile page if they would like a physical version for their own records. However, these documents cannot be used as evidence of their status.

We have taken a number of steps to support people with the rollout and transition to eVisas.

We are running targeted communications to raise awareness of the decommissioning of physical immigration documents and our move to eVisas, and to encourage people to create a UKVI account and access their eVisa. This includes developing various communications materials, informative videos, guidance available at www.gov.uk/evisa, and engagement with stakeholders.

Support is available through the eVisa grant funded network of organisations for vulnerable holders of physical immigration documents who require support in making the transition to eVisa. There are a number of national grant funded bodies and community-based organisations spread across the UK, which offer immediate, free support for vulnerable people in their transition to an eVisa throughout the rest of 2024, and beyond. Details of support available, including the list of organisations is available on GOV.UK at: eVisa: community support for vulnerable people - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Our Assisted Digital service is available in the UK to provide individual support by phone, email and in-person to those with low/no digital skills or access, or who require assistance with IT-related aspects of creating a UKVI account.

People can also contact the UKVI Resolution Centre, which provides support via email and webchat to those creating their UKVI account, and telephone support to those using the online immigration status services.

Where a person is unable to manage their own affairs due to, for example, age or disability, a ‘proxy’, who is authorised, can create and manage the account on behalf of the person.

People can also nominate a ‘helper’ and give them limited access to their account, so that they can assist with creating a UKVI account, completing details to access an eVisa, and with any immigration application.

Successful visa applicants receive written confirmation by email or letter that they have been granted permission, which they can keep for their personal records. Where this document cannot be used as evidence of their status, these printed documents can be used when interacting with the Home Office should any subsequent issues be encountered with their eVisa. Customers may also wish to print out their eVisa profile page if they would like a physical version for their own records.

We are taking further steps to reduce the number of circumstances where people need to provide evidence of their immigration status, by developing services to make the relevant immigration status information available automatically through system to system checks with other government departments and the NHS, removing the need for people to prove their status themselves.

We have enabled transport operators including airlines, ferries, and international trains to securely and automatically access the immigration status of passengers travelling on their services when they present their passport which is linked to their eVisa for a more convenient journey. We have also established a 24/7 Carrier Support Hub in case a carrier does not receive confirmation of the passenger’s immigration status.

A partner pack of readily shareable content, including factsheets and social media content, has been developed and shared with other government departments and third-party support networks which they can use to disseminate eVisa information to people with whom they engage. We have also issued press notices about the transition to eVisas, and delivered detailed media briefings with UK and International media outlets.

The Home Office is moving to a digital immigration system, and there are no plans to issue physical documents in future.

Successful visa applicants receive written confirmation by email or letter that they have been granted permission and have a digital immigration status, which they can keep for their personal records. These printed documents can be used when interacting with the Home Office should any subsequent issues be encountered with their eVisa. People may also wish to print out their eVisa profile page if they would like a physical version for their own records. However, these documents cannot be used as evidence of their status.

UK Policing is operationally independent and continues to support the development of policing capabilities across the Overseas Territories.

In November 2024, authorisations were provided for the deployment of three police officers to Bermuda, two to the Falkland Islands, one to Anguilla, one to Gibraltar and seven to the Sovereign Base Areas.

UK Policing is operationally independent and continues to support the development of policing capabilities across the Overseas Territories.

In November 2024, authorisations were provided for the deployment of three police officers to Bermuda, two to the Falkland Islands, one to Anguilla, one to Gibraltar and seven to the Sovereign Base Areas.

Lord Hanson of Flint is the Home Office minister responsible for relations with Overseas Territories.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.

That’s why this Government will put thousands of new neighbourhood police and community support officers into local communities across the country, so residents know they will have someone to turn to when things go wrong.

We will crack down on those causing havoc on our high streets by introducing tougher powers, including new Respect Orders to tackle repeat offending, and we will give the police stronger powers to crack down on the antisocial use of dangerous and deafening off-road bikes.

The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of tools and powers, including Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPO) that they can use to respond to anti-social behaviour.

In November 2023, the Home Office published a report on GOV.UK which looked at police perceptions of powers within the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which can be found on the GOV.UK website.

It is for local authorities to decide how best to effectively implement PSPOs depending on the specific circumstances. They are best placed to understand what is driving the behaviour in question, the impact that it is having, and to determine the most appropriate response.

The Government recently announced Respect Orders, which will be introduced in the forthcoming Crime and Policing Bill. Respect Orders can be applied for by police and local councils and are issued by the courts. They will enable courts to place wide-ranging restrictions on the behaviour of the most persistent and disruptive ASB offenders. They will include a power of arrest for any suspected breach, meaning officers can take action quickly to disrupt ongoing ASB. Breach will be a criminal offence, which is heard in the criminal courts with a wide range of sentencing options, including community orders, unlimited fines and, for the most severe cases, up to two years’ imprisonment.

The joint Home Office and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) lead efforts to combat forced marriage both at home and abroad, providing support and advice for victims, those at risk, and professionals, through its public helpline and inbox. The support offered ranges from providing information on forced marriage general enquiries and guidance to assistance in repatriation to the UK (for victims overseas).

The FMU publishes annual statistics that represent only the cases that have been reported to the FMU. Forced marriage is a hidden crime, so these figures will not reflect the full scale of the abuse. For this reason, the FMU is also involved in activities to raise awareness of forced marriage among key professions.

Data for the years 2019 – 2023, regarding FMU cases, is as follows:

• 2023: the FMU received 802 contacts relating to possible forced marriage or FGM (FMU can assist in relation to Forced Marriage and FGM where they impact British Nationals). This figure includes general enquiries and comprises 280 cases of forced marriage where advice and support were provided.
• 2022: the FMU received 847 contacts (including general enquiries) and provided advice and support in 302 cases.
• 2021: the FMU received 1,205 contacts (including general enquiries) and gave advice and support in 337 cases.
• 2020: the FMU received 1,159 contacts (including general enquiries) and provided advice and support in 759 cases.
• 2019: Reporting in this year did not distinguish between general enquiries and cases where advice and support were provided. A total of 1,355 cases were recorded.

A more detailed breakdown of these statistics is available for the years 2019 – 2023 and is accessible to the public via GOV.uk.

The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the number of police workers joining the police service in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.

Information on the number of Police Officers, Police Community Support Officers and Special Constables joining the police service between the years ending 31 March 2007 to 2024 can be found in the ‘Joiners Open Data Table’ here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/669a9161fc8e12ac3edb0081/open-data-table-police-workforce-joiners-240724.ods.

Information for the period 1^st April 2024 to 31^st March 2025 is due to be published in Summer 2025.

This Government is committed to supporting victims and survivors of domestic abuse.

We understand the importance of specialist support services and their critical role in providing tailored support for victims and survivors of domestic abuse to help them recover and move forward with their lives.

Following the Spending Review announcements in October, the Home Office is now deciding how the total funding settlement is allocated across the department to deliver the Government’s priorities. We will provide more information in due course.

Tackling Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is an important part of this Government’s mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. We are focused on preventing these crimes from happening in the first place, supporting and protecting survivors and those at risk, and bringing perpetrators to justice.

Frontline professionals and agencies with safeguarding responsibilities are crucial to protecting survivors and those at risk of FGM. Statutory guidance is therefore in place for agencies with safeguarding responsibilities to equip them with information on the law on FGM and to provide detailed advice on identifying FGM cases and how to coordinate appropriate responses.

The guidance also makes clear the importance of reporting for safeguarding professionals. It includes explicit reference to the mandatory reporting duty of some professionals (teachers, health and social care workers), making clear that under the law, they must rapidly inform the police of ‘known’ FGM cases among under-18s.

In addition to statutory guidance, there is an official FGM Resource Pack available for professionals which highlights what works in protecting survivors and those at risk of FGM. The Resource Pack includes training and assessment resources, as well as information about available specialist support services to enable coordinated responses.

Finally, the Government has developed free e-learning on FGM for frontline staff in healthcare, police, Border Force and children’s social care.

Qualifying offenders (i.e., those convicted for an offence in Schedule 3 to the Sexual Offences Act 2003) are required to notify personal details to the police. This system is often referred to as the ‘sex offenders’ register’ and requires offenders to provide specified details annually and whenever those details change. Registered sex offenders with no fixed abode are required to notify their details every seven days.

The information provided to the police, and other relevant information, is stored on the ViSOR database which allows for the recording and sharing of information relevant to an offender’s risk between the police and other relevant agencies. The Ministry of Justice publishes annual statistics about (the multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA). The most recent statistics were published on 31 October and showed that on 31 March 2024, 70,052 sex offenders were managed under MAPPA. Those statistics relate to MAPPA as a system: the volumes of offenders managed at the three different risk levels, or the volumes of risk management tools (such as sexual harm prevention orders) made by a court in the reporting year. There are no plans to include information about offenders with no fixed abode in this publication.

The Home Office has no current plans to publish details of meetings held by the independent adviser on political violence and disruption.

Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data.

The scale of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in our country is intolerable and this Government will treat it as the national emergency that it is. Tackling VAWG is a top priority and our mission is to halve VAWG within a decade. To achieve this ambitious aim, it is essential that we tackle domestic abuse and all forms of interpersonal abuse.

This Government’s target to halve VAWG within the next decade will only succeed if we continue to ensure children and young people are also at the heart of prevention and intervention programmes and policies. Progressing work around child to parent abuse is an important part of this and we will consider the responses to the consultation on the definition of child to parent abuse as part of our approach to addressing this issue.

The Government recognises the need for an effective multi-agency response to missing person investigations.

The Missing Persons Authorised Professional Practice (APP), issued by the College of Policing, sets out best practice guidance for all missing person investigations for police forces in England and Wales in order to prevent missing incidents as well as ensure that all safeguarding partners play a role in an investigation. This includes multi-agency enquiries. The APP for missing persons is publicly available on the College’s website.

In addition to the APP, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Missing Persons has developed the ‘Multi-agency response for adults missing from health and care settings’ framework, which is being rolled out, and the ‘Missing Children from Care’ framework, which has been piloted in West Yorkshire. These frameworks outline good practice that can be adopted by local areas when setting up their own multi-agency protocols for the strategic and operational response to a missing incident, with an aim to ensure that the appropriate safeguarding partner responds in the best interest of the missing person.

The statistic that I referred to in the question referenced an ad-hoc statistical release published by the Home Office on 4 November containing data on enforced and voluntary returns between 5 July and 28 October 2024, which can be accessed here: Returns from the UK between July and October 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

The Security Industry Authority budgeted headcount for 2024/15 is 416. The Home Office is working with the SIA to establish the regulator for Martyn’s Law. As part of that work the Home Office is considering resource requirements to determine what this means for SIA’s headcount in future years

Between 2020/21 and 2024/25 BlueLight Commercial has been funded by the Home Office to provide commercial expertise and assistance to policing to identify and make efficiency savings. The Home Office has provided up to £26.4m in funding to Bluelight Commercial during that time.

Further to the answer I gave on 6 November (HL1962), of the £287 million of estimated financial benefits BlueLight Commercial have worked to deliver within policing in England and Wales since 2020/21, an estimated £168 million are attributable to goods and £93m are attributable to services.

At 14 November 2024, Lancashire Constabulary is currently being onboarded to the Single Online Home platform. Avon and Somerset Police and West Yorkshire Police are not currently using the platform. Future onboarding plans are under consideration.

Members of the public can report suspicious behaviour to local forces through the ‘Tell us about’ tab within Police.UK websites on the Single Online Home platform.

Additionally, the StreetSafe tool, also accessed via Police.uk force websites, allows the public to report where they do not feel safe for environmental or behavioural reasons. This enables forces to build an evidence base of where communities have suspicions or feel unsafe for a variety of reasons.

The Home Office publishes statistics on the EU Settlement Scheme in the Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release). The number of people estimated to hold pre-settled status (five years’ limited leave to enter or remain) under the scheme as of 30 June 2024 is 1,810,040. The data is available in EUSS_RA_01 Table 3 of the Immigration system statistics, EUSS summary tables (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tables#eu-settlement-scheme).

Since September 2023, we have been extending the pre-settled status of those approaching its expiry date if they have not yet obtained settled status (indefinite leave to enter or remain). All pre-settled status holders who meet those criteria are potentially affected by the extension provision.

Rural crime can have devastating consequences for countryside communities. We are clear that when you report a crime, it should be properly investigated with victims having faith justice will be delivered, and criminals facing meaningful consequences – no matter where you live. That is why this Government is committed to reducing crime in rural areas and a cross-Government programme of work is underway through our wider Safer Streets Mission.

Under our reforms, rural communities will be safeguarded, with tougher measures to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, strengthened neighbourhood policing and stronger measures to prevent farm theft and fly-tipping. We are also committed to implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023.

We are continuing to work closely with the National Rural Crime Unit, a specialist police unit, and Historic England – both of which are partners of the National Rural Crime Network.

Rural crime can have devastating consequences for countryside communities. We are clear that when you report a crime, it should be properly investigated with victims having faith justice will be delivered, and criminals facing meaningful consequences – no matter where you live. That is why this Government is committed to reducing crime in rural areas and a cross-Government programme of work is underway through our wider Safer Streets Mission.

Under our reforms, rural communities will be safeguarded, with tougher measures to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, strengthened neighbourhood policing and stronger measures to prevent farm theft and fly-tipping. We are also committed to implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023.

We are continuing to work closely with the National Rural Crime Unit, a specialist police unit, and Historic England – both of which are partners of the National Rural Crime Network.

The Home Office does not hold data on police officers working in rural crime teams.

The Home Office collects and publishes data biannually on the size and composition of the police workforce, in the ‘Police workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.

Information is collected on the primary function of each officer however the specific team an officer is assigned to, such as “rural crime team”, is not collected.