Question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many weapons have been seized in the UK as a result of Europol operations in each year since 2010.

Answer (Brandon Lewis)

In a modern, interconnected world, crime is increasingly international and does not respect borders. The Government is clear that effective cooperation with EU Member States on security, justice and policing in order to tackle serious organised crime will continue to be a top UK priority.

The Government values the role of Europol and that is why the UK opted-in to the new Europol Regulation, which came into force on 1 May 2017, enabling us to maintain our current access to the agency and benefit from its cooperation and operational advantages until we leave the EU.

Intelligence exchange between UK law enforcement and Europol is well-established and takes place on a daily and routine basis on a wide range of criminal activity. The National Crime Agency (NCA) also support Europol with seconded staff. This cooperation continues to assist UK efforts to tackle cross-border crime impacting on the UK.

The specific data requested on how Europol operations and investigations have contributed to seizures, arrests and prosecutions in the UK is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.