Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of criminal financing mechanisms, including cash payments and cryptocurrencies, in enabling hostile state-linked sabotage and arson attacks; and what steps they are taking to disrupt such financial flows.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

National Security is the first duty of Government. The 2025 National Security Strategy identifies illicit finance as a core enabler of threats to the UK, including those posed by hostile states.

The Government’s 2025 National Risk Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing, developed with expert input from across government, law enforcement and the private sector, further sets out a system‑wide assessment of money laundering risk, including cash‑based and cryptoasset‑enabled money laundering. It estimates that over £12 billion in criminal cash is generated annually in the UK, and that $1.7 to 5.1 billion in illicit cryptoasset transactions are linked to the UK each year. Both of these money laundering routes can be exploited to support hostile state activity.

The Government is committed to disrupting these illicit financial flows. We have already made significant progress through Economic Crime Plan 2, including bolstering law enforcement capability through providing the funding for the recruitment of 475 FTEs dedicated to tackling money laundering, investing in advanced cryptoasset tracing, and introducing amendments to the Proceeds of Crime Act in April 2024 that give law enforcement clearer powers to seize and recover cryptoassets.

Following completion of Economic Crime Plan 2, we will publish a refreshed approach to economic crime, including anti-money laundering and asset recovery, which will set out a strengthened whole‑system approach to tackling illicit finance.

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Found: Yours sincerely, Lord Stirrup Chair of the European Affairs Committee

Found: Minister of State 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF www.gov.uk/home-office Rt Hon Lord Stirrup

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Found: evidence: Dynamic alignment Wednesday 24 March 2026 11.30 am Watch the meeting Members present: Lord Stirrup

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Found: Flint Minister of State 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF www.gov.uk/home-office Lord Stirrup

Found: Minister for the Cabinet Office His Majesty’s Paymaster General 70 Whitehall London SW1A 2AS Lord Stirrup

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