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<p>[holding answer 31 October 2013]: The National Crime Agency (NCA) is accountable to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State has a legal duty under the Crime and Courts Act 2013 (“the Act”) to determine the ‘strategic priorities’ for the National Crime Agency, in consultation with the Director General of the NCA and with the NCA's strategic partners (as set out in the Act). The Director General of the NCA determines the operational priorities for the agency. These are determined in consultation with the NCA's strategic partners. Both the strategic and operational</p><p><?notus-xml column=117?></p><p>priorities for the NCA are published in the NCA Annual Plan, which is available on the NCA website:</p><p>http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/news-media/publications/33-nca-annual-plan-2013-14/file</p><p>The NCA's budget is not managed by operational priority. The NCA manages a large work force of around 4,000 officers, and must allocate its budget flexibly to meet priorities as and when they arise.</p><p>The first and highest strategic priority for the NCA set by the Secretary of State is the identification and disruption of serious and organised crime, including by investigating and enabling the prosecution of those responsible for child sexual exploitation. NCA officers have a legal duty under the Crime and Courts Act to safeguard children and protect their welfare, and all NCA officers will be trained in child protection.</p> |