Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Online Fraud

Thursday 24 March 2022 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The CPS published its first ever economic crime strategy last year, affirming a commitment to improving criminal justice outcomes
  • The conviction rate for fraud and forgery over the past period was 84.9%, with 568 million enforced in respect of CPS-obtained confiscation orders
  • The Government allocated 400 million to boost efforts in fighting crime, supporting the National Economic Crime Centre, the National Crime Agency, and the police

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Barry Sheerman Lab
Crime & Law Enforcement
Context

The question addresses the need for prosecution and fund recovery for victims of online fraud. It highlights the complexity and jurisdictional challenges of economic crime.

Question

What steps she is taking to ensure prosecution of people who commit online fraud and recover stolen funds for victims of online fraud. Economic crime is complex, cyber-enabled, and spans multiple jurisdictions.

Answer from Alex Chalk

The CPS published its first ever economic crime strategy last year, affirming a commitment to improving criminal justice outcomes. The conviction rate for fraud and forgery over the past period was 84.9%, with £568 million enforced in respect of CPS-obtained confiscation orders.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Steps for recovery of stolen funds for victims were not addressed

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Q2 Barry Sheerman Lab
Crime & Law Enforcement NHS
Context

The question references the Age UK report, which indicates that organised crime is increasingly targeting vulnerable elderly individuals. A total of 800,000 elderly people were defrauded last year.

Question

Has he seen the Age UK report indicating that organised crime is targeting elderly people? Elderly victims face significant fraud issues, with someone being defrauded every few seconds in this country. The government's efforts seem amateur compared to professional criminals.

Answer from Alex Chalk

At the spending review, the Government allocated £400 million to boost efforts in fighting crime, supporting the National Economic Crime Centre, the National Crime Agency, and the police. Additionally, 20,000 additional police officers have been recruited.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Targeting of elderly individuals was not directly addressed

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