Oral Answers to Questions

Greg Smith Excerpts

Monday 27th November 2023 Commons Chamber

[Simon Jupp (East Devon) (Con)]

1. What steps he is taking to help reduce levels of organised crime.

[Greg Smith (Buckingham) (Con)]

11. What steps he is taking to help reduce levels of organised crime.

[Antony Higginbotham (Burnley) (Con)]

15. What steps he is taking to help reduce levels of organised crime.

--- Later in debate ---

[Greg Smith]

Serious organised acquisitive crime is hitting rural communities hard, with high-value agricultural equipment targeted for theft. The National Rural crime unit has recently recovered over £5 million of stolen equipment, nearly £1 million of which was recovered abroad. The Construction Plant-hire Association, NFU Mutual and the Construction Equipment Association have put significant funds into the NRCU but what more can my right hon. Friend do to ensure that it has the resources it needs to tackle these serious organised criminal gangs?

[James Cleverly]

I thank my hon. Friend for the work he has done in this area, including with his private Members’ Bill. He is absolutely right that the rural communities of this country need to be supported, and they will be. Driving down rural crime is an important area of work and we have provided £200,000 of funding to help set up the NRCU. My hon. Friend and I, and others in this House, understand the terrible impact this has, and we will continue to work with the rural police forces to drive down rural crime.