Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of agricultural crime.

Rural crime can have devastating consequences for countryside communities and the agricultural sector. That is why this Government is committed to reducing crime in rural areas. The Home Office works in partnership with DEFRA to improve the response to rural crime. Together, we supported the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) to deliver the Rural and Wildlife Crime strategy for 2025-28. The strategy sets out operational and organisational policing priorities in respect of tackling rural crimes.

We are improving the safety of rural communities with tougher measures to clamp down on equipment theft, anti-social behaviour, strengthened neighbourhood policing and stronger measures to prevent farm theft and fly-tipping.

We are committed to implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023 and fully support its aims to tackle the theft and resale of ATVs, quad bikes and GPS systems. We will introduce the necessary secondary legislation when Parliamentary time allows.

We are also introducing, through the Crime and Policing Bill, a new power for the police to enter and search premises to which items have been electronically tracked by GPS or other means, where the items are reasonably believed to have been stolen and are on those premises, and where it has not been reasonably practicable to obtain a warrant from a court. This will provide a valuable tool for police in tackling stolen equipment and machinery.

Our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee means there will be an additional 3000 officers in neighbourhood policing teams in England and Wales by March 2026, whilst also ensuring each community, including rural communities, has a named, contactable officer to turn to.

This financial year the Home Office has provided the first funding since 2023 for the National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU) as well as continuing funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU). This funding boost of over £800,000 will help these specialist policing units tackle those crimes that predominantly affect our rural communities.