Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help older people report scam phone calls.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is committed to tackling the threat of fraud, which is why this Government has committed to publishing a new and enhanced Fraud Strategy that addresses the full range of harm that UK citizens face from fraud, including tackling the impersonation of police officers for fraudulent purposes. Reporting of scam calls should be done to Action Fraud, via either their website https://www.actionfraud.police.uk or via telephone on 0300 123 2040. There is also a variety of other ways the public can contact the police about fraud. For example, by phoning 101 at any time for non-emergency enquiries and concerns. There are also opportunities for in-person contact, particularly with neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs.
The Government is committed to strong neighbourhood policing and by the end of parliament (2029) there will be 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs and special constables in neighbourhood policing roles. As the Prime Minister announced on 10 April, by July, every community will have named and contactable officers dedicated to addressing the issues facing their communities as part of the Government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.
Every force will ensure that neighbourhood teams spend the majority of their time in their communities providing visible patrols and engaging with local communities and businesses and local people will also have ongoing opportunities raise concerns at regular local beat meetings. It is up to Chief Constables and directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners (or equivalents) to make decisions on local police resourcing and estates. They are best placed to make these decisions based on their local knowledge and experience.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to (a) ensure adequate in-person police access for older people seeking to report scam phone calls in communities where police stations have closed and (b) tackle the impersonation of police officers for fraudulent purposes.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is committed to tackling the threat of fraud, which is why this Government has committed to publishing a new and enhanced Fraud Strategy that addresses the full range of harm that UK citizens face from fraud, including tackling the impersonation of police officers for fraudulent purposes. Reporting of scam calls should be done to Action Fraud, via either their website https://www.actionfraud.police.uk or via telephone on 0300 123 2040. There is also a variety of other ways the public can contact the police about fraud. For example, by phoning 101 at any time for non-emergency enquiries and concerns. There are also opportunities for in-person contact, particularly with neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs.
The Government is committed to strong neighbourhood policing and by the end of parliament (2029) there will be 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs and special constables in neighbourhood policing roles. As the Prime Minister announced on 10 April, by July, every community will have named and contactable officers dedicated to addressing the issues facing their communities as part of the Government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.
Every force will ensure that neighbourhood teams spend the majority of their time in their communities providing visible patrols and engaging with local communities and businesses and local people will also have ongoing opportunities raise concerns at regular local beat meetings. It is up to Chief Constables and directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners (or equivalents) to make decisions on local police resourcing and estates. They are best placed to make these decisions based on their local knowledge and experience.