Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she last met the Neighbourhood Watch Network to discuss rural crime.

The Government are committed to driving down rural crime. Whether someone lives in the countryside, a town, or a city, they should have the same peace of mind when going about their daily lives, and they should get the same high-quality service from the police if they fall victim to a crime.

The Home Secretary, Ministers and officials meet with a range of stakeholders on a regular basis to discuss how best to tackle rural crime and are taking important steps to address issues that we know affect rural communities.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act empowers and equips the police and courts with the powers they need to combat hare coursing, and the Government is supporting the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Bill, which aims to prevent the theft of quad bikes and All-Terrain Vehicles. The Government is also providing funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit and new National Rural Crime Unit, which will support forces nationally in their response to rural crime such as theft of farming construction machinery, livestock theft and rural fly tipping.