Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number and proportion of barber shops that are linked to money laundering.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)
According to a report by the Local Data Company and Green Street, the average number of barber shops per 10,000 people has more than doubled in the last 10 years, from 1.4 per 10,000 people in 2013, to 3.1 per 10,000 in 2023. The Government recognises that cash intensive businesses such as barber shops can be exploited by criminals who seek to legitimise their criminal cash enabling them to profit from their illegal activities.
That is why addressing cash-based money laundering is one of the strategic priorities of the National Economic Crime Centre which sits within the National Crime Agency, and who are currently working with partners to facilitate an increased operational response to this threat.
In parallel, the National Police Chiefs’ Council economic crime co-ordinators are engaged in the development of Clear Hold Build strategies to help police forces tackle serious and organised crime. Clear Hold Build aims to reclaim and rebuild neighbourhoods affected by organised crime and increase public confidence in the police and partner agencies. This includes tackling financial crime on the high street.
Asked by: Damien Egan (Labour - Bristol North East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle (a) online fraud and (b) cyber crime.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)
Measures to tackle online fraud will be set out in the upcoming fraud strategy. The Chancellor, Home Secretary and Secretary of State for DSIT have already written to the tech sector to request that companies go further and faster to fight fraud.
Cyber crime causes immense damage to people and businesses in the UK and is a top priority for the Government. Our approach to tackling cyber crime is set out in the UK Government’s National Cyber Strategy. We work closely with our international partners and law enforcement agencies such as the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), to reduce the harm caused by cyber attacks and bolster our resilience. This is mostly recently underscored by the Home Office’s current public consultation on legislative proposals to reduce ransomware payments to cyber criminals and increase incident reporting.
The Home Office’s cyber crime programme has boosted investment and expanded training to improve the law enforcement response to deliver improvements to the UK’s cyber resilience. We provide law enforcement with the necessary cyber skills and training at the national, regional, and local levels to ensure they have the capacity and expertise to deal with the perpetrators and provide support to the victims of cyber crime.
Laid - 2 Apr 2025 In Force Not stated
These Regulations amend Schedule 4 to the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (c. 25). Schedule 4 (relevant public authorities and designated senior officers etc.) sets out the public authorities, other than local authorities, who may exercise powers under Part 3 of that Act to obtain communications data(5), the statutory purposes for …
Found: case it can be obtained for the purpose of preventing or detecting crime.
Published - Wednesday 2nd April 2025
Department: Home OfficeThese Regulations amend Schedule 4 to the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (c. 25). Schedule 4 (relevant public authorities and designated senior officers etc.) sets out the public authorities, other than local authorities, who may exercise powers under Part 3 of that Act to obtain communications data(5), the statutory purposes for …
Found: case it can be obtained for the purpose of preventing or detecting crime.
Asked by: Lumsden, Douglas (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - North East Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what role Food Standards Scotland plays in monitoring and preventing the sale of counterfeit or substandard alcohol.
Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
In line with the Food Standards Scotland (FSS) Food Crime Prevention Strategic Plan 2024-27, FSS works in partnership with local authorities, other law enforcement agencies (LEA), industry and stakeholders at various strategic and tactical fora, including:
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to increase the (a) role and (b) resources of (i) the National Wildlife Crime Unit and (ii) Border Force to support the (A) protection of wildlife, (B) communities and (C) ecological recovery.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
Wildlife crime can have devastating consequences for our natural environments and countryside communities. We are committed to reducing crime and anyone exploiting or deliberately harming British wildlife should face the full force of the law.
Recognising the notable successes of the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU), we are providing funding this financial year (2025/26) of £450,000, an increase on previous years, ensuring this specialist policing unit can continue to help police forces and other law enforcement agencies across the UK to tackle wildlife crime, including disrupting serious and organised crime. The NWCU also supports cases referred by Border Force to the National Crime Agency or to individual forces and is the UK policing focal point for EUROPOL and INTERPOL wildlife crime activity.
Border Force’s Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) officers are dedicated to preventing the importation and exportation of endangered animals and plants, as well as working in partnership with the legal trade and enforcement partners from across the UK to eradicate this ruthless and exploitative trade which has a devastating environmental impact.
Additionally, all new Border Force officers receive mandatory training on CITES to aid the detection of illicit goods linked to the illegal wildlife trade.
Asked by: Luke Charters (Labour - York Outer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to support regional crime units to tackle (a) fraud and (b) cybercrime.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)
A new National Fraud Squad (NFS) has been established, consisting of a network of 400 new investigators across the National Crime Agency, City of London Police and Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs). The NFS is transforming the law enforcement response by taking a proactive, intelligence-led approach to identifying and disrupting the most serious fraudsters, domestically and overseas, jointly with government and industry.
The Home Office has provided funding to create a coordinated police Fraud Protect Network, made up of local, regional and national law enforcement officers and is designed to reduce the threat of fraud and revictimisation by providing consistent safeguarding advice to the public.
The Home Office also funds the Regional Cyber Crime Units (RCCUs) across England and Wales. These regional policing teams investigate and pursue serious cyber offenders, including supporting organisations during live ransomware attacks to get them back online as soon as possible. They also support businesses by providing cyber security support to help them reduce their vulnerability and threat of attack.
Written Evidence May. 22 2024
Inquiry: FraudFound: FRA0110 - Fraud National Crime Agency Written Evidence
Feb. 17 2025
Source Page: Evidence submissions to NCA Remuneration Review Body, 2025 to 2026Found: From: Home Office, National Crime Agency and National Crime Agency Remuneration Review Body Published
Feb. 17 2025
Source Page: Evidence submissions to NCA Remuneration Review Body, 2025 to 2026Found: From: Home Office, National Crime Agency and National Crime Agency Remuneration Review Body Published