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National Crime Agency to 'relentlessly pursue' organised crime National Crime Agency to 'relentlessly pursue' organised crime
(about 1 hour later)
A new body to tackle some of the UK's most serious crimes has been launched.A new body to tackle some of the UK's most serious crimes has been launched.
Labelled the "British FBI", the National Crime Agency (NCA) will "relentlessly pursue" organised criminals, the home secretary said.Labelled the "British FBI", the National Crime Agency (NCA) will "relentlessly pursue" organised criminals, the home secretary said.
Theresa May told the BBC it would focus on organised, economic and cyber crime, border policing and child protection. Theresa May told the BBC it would be at the centre of a new strategy to combat serious and organised crime.
It will replace a number of existing bodies but will have significantly less funding. Labour has called the move a "rebranding exercise".It will replace a number of existing bodies but will have significantly less funding. Labour has called the move a "rebranding exercise".
It is the third time since 1998 that an organised crime body has been set up.It is the third time since 1998 that an organised crime body has been set up.
The National Crime Squad was set up 15 years ago, only to be replaced eight years later by the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) - which is now being scrapped.The National Crime Squad was set up 15 years ago, only to be replaced eight years later by the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) - which is now being scrapped.
'Crime is falling' The new agency has four "commands": organised crime, economic crime, borders, and the formerly separate Ceop - the agency that covers child exploitation and online protection.
The NCA will work with each of the regional police forces in the UK and similar organisations abroad. In the first operation led by officers from the agency, five people were arrested in morning raids in Liverpool, Warrington, Bromley, Brentwood and Troon as part of a crackdown on suspected identity fraudsters.
The agency will have 4,500 officers and aims to adopt a more visible, joined-up approach than was previously the case. 'Pernicious problem'
The home secretary denied establishing the NCA was a rebranding exercise.
She said: "We're taking a whole new approach to the fight against organised crime.
"The NCA will be looking at a wider range of organised crime and working with police forces and others across government in addressing this pernicious problem in our society.
"We will be ensuring the relentless disruption of organised criminals."
Mrs May confirmed there would be a review to examine whether counter-terrorism policing functions should move to the NCA in the future.
The NCA will work with the regional police forces in the UK and similar organisations abroad.
The agency will have 4,500 officers and aims to adopt a more visible, joined-up approach than previously.
It will also be recruiting "special" officers - volunteers similar to special constables in police forces.It will also be recruiting "special" officers - volunteers similar to special constables in police forces.
Its head, Keith Bristow, warned criminals to expect "continuous disruption", including the confiscation of their assets.Its head, Keith Bristow, warned criminals to expect "continuous disruption", including the confiscation of their assets.
"We are going to make a difference the public will see," he told the BBC, adding the "British FBI" label was "reasonable shorthand" for the new body. "We are going to make a difference the public will see," he told the BBC, adding that the "British FBI" label was "reasonable shorthand" for the new body.
The new agency has four "commands": organised crime, economic crime, borders, and the formerly separate Ceop - the agency that covers child exploitation and online protection. Mrs May said the economic crime command was new and would "increase our ability to deal with economic crime and fraud".
Theresa May said the economic crime command was new and would "increase our ability to deal with economic crime and fraud".
However, unlike the FBI, the NCA does not have responsibility for combating terrorism. That remains the responsibility of Scotland Yard, where the Metropolitan Police oversees a number of regional teams comprising police and MI5 officers.
Mrs May told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday that the new agency was "designed to be a relentless crime-fighting body which will relentlessly pursue organised criminals".
The home secretary said: "Crime is falling in this country, but we can't be complacent. And particularly on organised crime, I don't think the last government put enough emphasis on this."
'Not strong enough''Not strong enough'
But shadow policing minister David Hanson said the NCA "doesn't match the government's hype". But shadow policing minister David Hanson said the NCA did not match "the government's hype".
"Most of the NCA is just the rebranding of existing organisations such as the Serious Organised Crime Agency, but with a substantial 20% cut imposed by the Home Office on their overall budget," he said. "Most of the NCA is just the rebranding of existing organisations such as the Serious Organised Crime Agency but with a substantial 20% cut imposed by the Home Office on their overall budget," he said.
"The new organisation is not strong enough to deal with the exponential growth of economic and online crime.""The new organisation is not strong enough to deal with the exponential growth of economic and online crime."
It would simply absorb the existing national cyber crime unit but with fewer resources, he said. It would absorb the existing national cyber crime unit but with fewer resources, he said.
"It is right to have stronger national action on organised crime with the NCA, on child exploitation and on intelligence - but the government has to support this effort and not simply use this as a rebranding exercise to hide substantial policing cuts."
However, Mrs May told the BBC she was satisfied that the NCA was "going to be well resourced".However, Mrs May told the BBC she was satisfied that the NCA was "going to be well resourced".
She said the government had already shown it was "possible to keep up that relentless fight against crime" with less money.She said the government had already shown it was "possible to keep up that relentless fight against crime" with less money.
Keith Vaz, the chairman of the influential Home Affairs Select Committee said: "The organisations going into the NCA have a combined budget of £812m, yet the new agency will only have £473.9m next year. Keith Vaz, chairman of the influential Home Affairs Select Committee said: "The organisations going into the NCA have a combined budget of £812m, yet the new agency will only have £473.9m next year.
"The Home Office needs to account for where this money has gone.""The Home Office needs to account for where this money has gone."
Each police force in the UK has territorial responsibility for its particular area. Crimes that are carried out across more than one county or area usually involve officers from both areas.
The new body will have a strategic role in which it will attempt to look at the bigger picture of organised crime in the UK, how it operates and how it can be disrupted.
The NCA will answer directly to the home secretary and will have significant powers to compel police forces in England, Scotland and Wales to provide assistance and carry out policing operations.The NCA will answer directly to the home secretary and will have significant powers to compel police forces in England, Scotland and Wales to provide assistance and carry out policing operations.
The situation will be different in Northern Ireland, where the agency will carry out border and customs functions, but not other crime-fighting roles. It will have a strategic role attempting to look at the bigger picture of organised crime in the UK, how it operates and how it can be disrupted.
Mr Hanson added that this would leave a "serious operational gap" compared with the Serious Organised Crime Agency that the NCA is replacing. The situation will be different in Northern Ireland, where the agency will carry out border and customs functions but not other crime-fighting roles.
"It is extremely worrying that organised crime which crosses between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK will not be properly dealt with because the Home Secretary mishandled the legislation with the relevant parties in Northern Ireland," he said. Mr Hanson said this would leave a "serious operational gap"."It is extremely worrying that organised crime which crosses between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK will not be properly dealt with because the home secretary mishandled the legislation with the relevant parties in Northern Ireland," he said.