Committee publication · Correspondence · 20 May 2026
Correspondence from the Home Office relating to rural proofing policies, dated 2 February 2026
Summary
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood responds to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee's December 2025 inquiry into Home Office rural proofing. She outlines departmental policy tests requiring rural impact assessment, collaboration with Defra on rural crime strategy, over £800,000 new funding for rural and wildlife crime units, and delivery of 3,000 additional neighbourhood officers by Spring 2026 to support rural communities.
Key findings
- Home Office Policy Tests now require policymakers to consider rural community impacts and engage stakeholders, aligned to cross-government Policy Profession Standards.
- Home Office partnered with Defra and National Police Chiefs' Council on Rural and Wildlife Crime strategy 2025–28; participated in Defra Rural Taskforce workshops on rural crime and policing.
- First funding since 2023 for National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU) and continued funding for National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU): over £800,000 to tackle organised theft and serious crime in rural areas.
- Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023 implementing forensic marking and GPS tracking of All-Terrain Vehicles, quad bikes, and removable GPS systems with property database registration.
- Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will deliver up to 3,000 additional officers into neighbourhood teams by Spring 2026, with named contactable officers and increased visible patrols in every community.
Tone
FactualTopics
Key actors
Shabana Mahmood MP (Home Secretary), Alistair Carmichael MP (Chair, EFRA Committee), Home Office, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU), National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU), Cross-Government Policy Profession
Notable line
“This funding boost of over £800,000 will allow these specialist units to continue their work in tackling rural and wildlife crime which can pose unique …”
Key Quotes
“… the Home Office Policy Tests which are aligned to the cross-government Policy Profession Standards and Pillars, require policy makers to consider who the policy impacts and emphasises engaging with communities and stakeholders to how they will be impacted.”
“This Government is committed to tackling rural crime and safeguarding rural communities, The Home Office worked in partnership with Defra to support the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) in delivering their Rural and Wildlife Crime strategy for 2025-28.”
“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 allow these specialist units to continue their work in tackling rural and wildlife crime which can pose unique challenges for policing given the scale and isolation of rural areas.”
“The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will ensure that every community in England and Wales will have named and contactable officers dealing with local issues, and that neighbourhood teams spend the majority of their time in their communities providing visible patrols and engaging with local communities and businesses.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗