Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of rural crime on (a) agricultural businesses and (b) Staffordshire Police.

This Government is committed to reducing crime and disorder in rural areas, given the devastating impact rural crime can have on communities and businesses. 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.

In Staffordshire and other areas, the National Rural Crime Unit provides support to police forces in their responses to rural crime, such as the theft of farming or construction machinery, livestock theft, rural fly tipping, rural fuel theft and equine crime.

The unit aims to help police forces tackle rural crime priorities through the provision of specialist operational support, as well as through sharing best practice and encouraging regional and national approaches to tackling rural crime. The NRCU also helps police forces across the country tackle organised theft and disrupt organised crime groups.