Context
The Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023, a private Member's Bill introduced by Greg Smith, is intended to tackle the theft and resale of high-value equipment, particularly in agricultural settings. The commencement date for the Act was set for January last year but requires a statutory instrument to be moved before it can come into full force.
Question
I am grateful to the Minister for his kind words and to the Government for their support for what was my private Member’s Bill and is now the Act. The commencement date for the Act was in January last year, but it requires a statutory instrument to be moved to bring it into full force. When will that statutory instrument be moved? Can he assure me that there is no delay because of the equipment manufacturers, who of course benefit massively from crime because they get to sell another one?
Answer from The Minister for Security (Dan Jarvis)
Let me reassure the hon. Gentleman. As he knows, the Act requires secondary legislation to take effect. We are currently considering the views of those who may be affected by the legislation, but we intend that the regulations will be in place by the summer.
Not addressed: The Minister did not provide a specific date for when the statutory instrument would be moved and did not explicitly address any potential delays due to equipment manufacturers.
Was this summary accurate? Tell us
How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)