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<p>The Government supported the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023, which gained
Royal Assent on 20 July 2023. The Act will require immobilisers and forensic marking
to be fitted as standard to specified new agricultural equipment such as All-Terrain
Vehicles and quad bikes. The Act provides a power for the Secretary of State to extend
these requirements to other equipment designed for use in agricultural or commercial
activities, via secondary legislation.</p><p>The Government committed to consult prior
to introducing secondary legislation, to assess the feasibility of including hand-held
power tools and larger agricultural equipment within the secondary legislation, and
to ensure that practical considerations for manufacturers and retailers are considered
fully.</p><p>A Call for Evidence was published, seeking views on these detailed matters
and specifically targeted at those who may be affected by the proposals should they
become legislation, including manufacturers, dealers, retailers, tradespeople and
law enforcement practitioners. The call for evidence closed on 13 July and the Government’s
response will be published in due course.</p><p>The Home Office is continuing to engage
with stakeholders on the development of this legislation. I met retailers and manufacturers
of power tools on 29 January to understand their views and the potential implications
of this legislation, including the Agricultural Engineers Association.</p>
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