§ Lord Harrisonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will use Europol to tackle the increasing trade in stolen tractors and excavators; and how much these crimes are costing the European Union annually. [HL1628]
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Rooker)Our National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS is considering the further sharing of intelligence on the trade in stolen tractors and excavators with Europol in the light of its continuing assessment of organised crime threats. Europol can support member states' competent authorities in preventing and combating the theft of agricultural vehicles and construction plant where there is an organised criminal structure involved.
We do not know how much these crimes are costing the European Union annually but we estimate that in the United Kingdom in 1999 the insurance costs of these crimes was some £115 million.