Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with (a) local police forces, (b) agricultural and rural organisations and (c) rural communities to (i) raise awareness of rural crime and (ii) make reporting incidences of that crime easier.

This Government remains committed to driving down crime in rural areas. My department engages regularly with the Home Office, police and rural organisations to discuss tackling rural crime and we recognise the concern which crime can cause to rural communities.

To boost policing capabilities, this Government has already recruited 9,814 additional police officers as of 30 June this year, as part of the biggest recruitment drive in decades. We are also supporting external partners in their activity to raise awareness of rural crime. For instance, Crimestoppers, along with leading charitable and enforcement agencies has produced a national campaign to raise the profile of rural crime.

Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables understand the priorities of their local communities and take these into account in deciding how resources should be allocated.