Government
National Business Crime Forum
RLP was invited to the launch of the Government’s new initiative, the National Business
Crime Forum, in October 2011 at Parliament. The Forum’s objective to reduce crime
against business, which it is now recognised comprises 25% of crime in the UK, with
metal theft being one of the fastest growing crimes.
The exchange of information and maximising the use civil remedies are key strategies
to the initiative.
“Fighting Fraud Together”
The Home Office has also produced a strategic plan, “Fighting Fraud Together,” document
in October 2011 with one of its key initiatives being to use civil remedies as a
deterrent to fraud. This document has been endorsed by a large number of agencies
including Ministry of Justice, National Fraud Authority, SOCA, The Law Society and
the CAB to name a few
Parliamentary Debate on Civil Recovery
Civil recovery was debated in Parliament in April 2011 The Parliamentary Under Secretary
State for Justice told Parliament “The Government recognise the appropriate and
proportionate use of civil recovery as one option available to retailers for dealing
with low-level criminal activity that also amounts to a civil wrong. We believe
that civil recovery, when used proportionately, provides an effective response to
low-value and often opportunistic crime that often involves teenagers and other
vulnerable people.”