Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the reasons for thefts of farming GPS equipment.

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

The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will deliver thousands of additional neighbourhood police, police community support officers and Special Constables, across England and Wales, including in rural areas, to speed up response times and build public confidence.

Removeable GPS units are particularly vulnerable to theft and can massively disrupt day to day farming operations. The National Farmers Union (NFU) reports the UK cost of GPS theft increased by 137% to £4.2 million in 2023.

We are committed to implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023, which aims to prevent the theft and re-sale of high-value equipment, particularly for use in an agricultural setting. The Act requires secondary legislation before it can come into effect. We are carefully considering the views of those who may be affected by the legislation and its regulations, to understand the potential implications and determine the scope of the legislation.