Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the work of rural police task forces in reducing rural crimes; and what plans they have to encourage rural task forces in areas they do not exist.

Rural crime can have devastating consequences for rural communities. That is why this Government is committed to reducing crime and disorder in rural areas. 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 13,000 neighbourhood police and community support officers, across England and Wales, including in rural areas, to speed up response times and build public confidence.

It is for Chief Constables and PCCs, as operationally independent leaders and elected local representatives, to decide how best to deploy resources to manage and respond to individual crimes and local crime priorities, including rural crime. The National Rural Crime Unit provides police forces across the UK with specialist operational support in their responses to rural crime.