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Crime and Courts Act 2013

Part 1: the National Crime Agency

The National Crime Agency

12.In July 2010 the Home Office set out the Government’s plans for policing reform in Policing in the 21st Century(1), including proposals for a new National Crime Agency (“NCA”) to lead the fight against serious and organised crime and strengthen border security. Further details of the Government’s proposals for the creation of the NCA were announced by the Home Secretary on 8 June 2011 (House of Commons, Official Report, columns 232 to 234). The accompanying The National Crime Agency: A plan for the creation of a national crime-fighting capability (Cm 80972) set out the proposed structure of the NCA comprising:

  • Organised Crime Command;

  • Border Policing Command;

  • Economic Crime Command;

  • Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command (“CEOP”).

13.The four commands would be underpinned by an intelligence hub, tasking and co-ordination arrangements and a National Cyber Crime Unit.

14.The NCA will build on the work of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (“SOCA”) which was established by Part 1 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.

15.The establishment of the NCA is part of the Government’s wider organised crime strategy, Local to global: reducing the risk from organised crime(3), published on 28 July 2011. Part 1 of the Act provides for the establishment of the NCA and the abolition of SOCA and the National Policing Improvement Agency (“NPIA").

Abolition of National Policing Improvement Agency

16.The NPIA was established by section 1 of the Police and Justice Act 2006. The Agency was formed in April 2007.

17.The Home Office’s plans for policing reform set out in Policing in the 21st Century included proposals for streamlining the national policing landscape by, amongst other things, phasing out of the NPIA. On 4 July 2011, the Home Secretary announced plans to set up a police information and communications technology company(4) which would take on certain functions of the NPIA. In written statements on 15 December 2011 (House of Commons, Official Report, columns 125WS to 127WS), 26 March 2012 (House of Commons, Official Report, columns 94WS to 95WS) and 16 July 2012 (House of Commons, Official Report, columns 105WS to 107WS), the Home Secretary set out further proposals. Section 15(2) of the Act provides for the abolition of the NPIA. The statutory duty conferred on the NPIA by section 3 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to provide a system for the training, monitoring, accreditation and withdrawal of accreditation of financial investigators will move to the NCA as provided for in paragraph 111 of Schedule 8.

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