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<p>This Government is committed to driving down rural crime including theft of farm
equipment and machinery.</p><p>To help prevent the theft of agricultural machinery,
the Government has introduced the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act which will require
immobilisers and forensic marking to be fitted as standard to all new All-Terrain
Vehicles and quad bikes.</p><p>The Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023 gained Royal
Assent on 20 July 2023. The Home Office issued a Call for Evidence to inform the necessary
secondary legislation regulations, which closed on 13 July and responses are currently
being considered.</p><p>There are currently no plans to include all agricultural vehicles.
However, the provisions could be extended in the future, through secondary legislation,
where evidence shows this is necessary.</p><p>I also welcome the recent commitment
by chief constables across England and Wales, to pursue any available evidence where
there is a reasonable chance it could lead them to catching a perpetrator and solving
a crime. This relates to all crimes, no matter where they are committed.</p>
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