Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Fraud

Monday 25 April 2022 · 3 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 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Fraud accounts for more than a third of all crime in the UK.
  • The government is investing in a new Action Fraud system scheduled for 2024.
  • Over 400 million will be invested to tackle fraud and economic crime.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Sarah Green Lib Dem Chesham and Amersham
Crime & Law Enforcement
Context

Fraud accounts for over a third of all crime. In Chiltern and South Bucks, Thames Valley police had 194 Action Fraud victim care reports last year. A constituent stopped reporting scams due to lack of investigation.

Question

What steps her Department is taking to tackle fraud? The Minister knows that fraud accounts for more than a third of all crime. Last year, Thames Valley police in Chiltern and South Bucks had 194 Action Fraud victim care reports. One constituent stopped reporting scams because they think Action Fraud has become a crime reporting agency and not an investigation body. We need a new service dedicated to effectively tackling online fraud, not just recording it. Will the Minister commit to establishing a new online crime agency?

Answer from Damian Hinds

We are making constant improvements to Action Fraud through the City of London police, and investing in a wholly new Action Fraud system for 2024. I encourage constituents to report fraud. More than 76,000 scams have been automatically taken down as a result of our constituents forwarding scam emails.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment to establishing a new online crime agency

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Q2 Sarah Green Lib Dem Chesham and Amersham
Crime & Law Enforcement
Context

Fraud accounts for over a third of all crime. In Chiltern and South Bucks, Thames Valley police had 194 Action Fraud victim care reports last year. A constituent stopped reporting scams due to lack of investigation.

Question

The Minister knows that fraud accounts for more than a third of all crime. Last year, Thames Valley police in Chiltern and South Bucks had 194 Action Fraud victim care reports. One constituent told me with great distress that they have stopped reporting scams because they think that Action Fraud has become a crime reporting agency and is no longer a crime investigation agency. We need a new service dedicated to effectively tackling online fraud, not just recording it. Will the Minister commit to establishing a new online crime agency?

Answer from Damian Hinds

We are making constant improvements to Action Fraud through the City of London police and investing in a wholly new Action Fraud system for 2024. I encourage constituents to report fraud, with over 76,000 scams automatically taken down as a result of scam emails being forwarded.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment to establishing a new online crime agency

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Q3 Naseem Shah Lab Bradford West
Crime & Law Enforcement Economy
Context

Fraud and computer misuse increased by 47% in 2021. In 2020, an estimated 99.99% of total cyber-crime went unpunished. During the covid era, £37 billion likely lost to fraud, equaling one third of the NHS annual budget.

Question

In 2021, fraud and computer misuse increased by 47%. In 2020, an estimated 99.99% of total cyber-crime went unpunished. During covid alone, £37 billion is likely to have been lost to fraud. When working families face rising energy costs and a cost of living crisis, and pay more taxes and for services, can the Minister tell me why under this Tory Government gangs of criminals are getting a free run at the public purse?

Answer from Damian Hinds

Gangs do not get a free run, and we will invest more than ever before to tackle fraud. During covid, crime trends changed with an increase in distanced crimes like cybercrime. We are committed through spending review and the new economic crime levy for £400 million over this period.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Why under this government are gangs of criminals getting a free run at the public purse?

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