Minister for Security (): The National Crime Agency (NCA) is the national
lead agency for tackling serious and organised crime, tasked with
reducing the impact it has on the UK, and thereby protect the
public from the highest-harm criminals we face. To achieve that
it manages intelligence and information that requires the highest
levels of security and provides sensitive intelligence and covert
tactics to law enforcement from across the whole of the UK.
HM Inspectorate for Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services
(HMICFRS) have finalised their 12th inspection of the
NCA. They assessed how effectively the NCA is at dealing with
corruption, and specifically the NCA's effectiveness and
efficiency in helping and working with police forces and other
law enforcement agencies to identify and tackle corruption
involving police officers and staff.
I have asked HMICFRS to publish the report. It will be published
today and will be available online at https://hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/publications/national-crime-agency-vetting-and-anti-corruption-part-2(opens
in a new tab). I will arrange for a copy to be placed in the
Libraries of both Houses.
The inspection found the Agency works well with partners to
identify and tackle corrupt police officers and staff, the Agency
understands the threat posed by corruption to law enforcement,
and its Anti-Corruption Unit employ's effective policies and
approaches to tackle corruption.
However, it found the intelligence the Agency receives could be
improved and it's ACU could strengthen its approach to
identifying and prioritising investigations. I expect the Agency
to ensure it has dedicated sufficient resources to meet future
demand and has the procedures in place to support law enforcement
on the most appropriate and serious cases.
The inspectorate also found that a new nationally co-ordinated
approach to collating and assessing intelligence relating to
corruption in police forces and other law enforcement agencies,
may strengthen our understanding of this issue and our collective
ability to address it. My officials are considering the
feasibility of this suggestion with the NCA and relevant
partners.
Overall, the inspectorate has made 5 separate recommendations.
These are designed to better enable the NCA to effectively
support law enforcement address corrupt police officers and
staff, an issue that poses a significant threat to fair and
effective policing, and ultimately public safety. These changes
will enable the NCA to have the intelligence, resources and
approaches it requires to robustly address with partners this
threat to police forces and wider law enforcement.
