Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has had recent discussions with representatives of the mobile phone industry on using technology to prevent stolen phones from being re-used.

Crime Survey for England and Wales data about the level of mobile phone victimisation (drawn from interviews conducted in the year to March 2023) shows a fall of over 70% in the rate (1.7% to 0.4%) and number (752,000 to 196,000) of owners experiencing mobile phone theft, when compared to findings from CSEW interviews conducted in the year to March 2010.

While mobile phone theft has fallen significantly across England and Wales, reports about the scale of phone theft in London are concerning. The Home Office is therefore working closely with police and industry to tackle mobile phone thefts, and will consider evidence suggesting where new action is needed. Recent meetings have taken place.