To ask the Minister of Justice whether (i) any assessment has been made of NFU Mutual's Rural Crime Report 2025, which found that the estimated cost of rural crime in Northern Ireland increased by 24 per cent to £2.2 million while the overall UK-wide cost decreased by 6 per cent; and (ii) her Department has identified any factors that may explain why Northern Ireland is moving in the opposite direction to the wider UK trend.

My Department is aware of the findings of the most recent Rural Crime Report, published by NFU Mutual, which indicated that the estimated cost of rural crime in Northern Ireland increased by approximately 24 per cent in 2025, to around £2.2 million.

Further information received from NFU Mutual confirms that they have seen the total number of agri-theft claims in Northern Ireland decrease slightly in the past two years, and part of the increase in cost is down to inflation of machinery value along with an increase in livestock theft claims.

While this report is based on insurance claims data rather than police-recorded crime, it nevertheless highlights the impact of rural crime on farming and rural communities. It also reinforces evidence of the links between rural theft and organised criminality.

A collaborative, multi-agency approach underpins efforts to tackle crime across Northern Ireland, including rural and agricultural crime. My Department chairs the Rural Crime Partnership (RCP), which brings together a range of key stakeholders, including the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the Ulster Farmers’ Union, NFU Mutual, the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), and Policing and Community Safety Partnerships (PCSPs).

The RCP facilitates the exchange of information on emerging and ongoing trends, supporting a coordinated and preventative approach to addressing rural crime. Partners also undertake public engagement activity, including through social media channels, to raise awareness and promote reporting. My Department has also supported initiatives such as Rural Crime Week NI, led by the PSNI, which seeks to highlight the issues facing rural communities and signpost available advice and support.

More broadly, joint working between law enforcement agencies is supported through established mechanisms such as the Joint Agency Task Force (JATF), where rural crime is identified as one of six strategic priorities. The JATF provides a structured framework for both strategic and operational collaboration, including between the PSNI and An Garda Síochána, particularly in tackling cross-border organised crime.

At a local level, Policing and Community Safety Partnerships (PCSPs) —jointly funded by the Department and the Northern Ireland Policing Board—play an important role in building community confidence and addressing rural crime concerns. Through engagement with local communities, PCSPs help to identify priorities and deliver practical, targeted interventions. These include equipment and trailer marking initiatives, crime prevention events, school engagement, and outreach to farming groups, all of which contribute to enhancing rural safety. These measures have contributed to an overall downward trend in recorded rural and agricultural crime.

While these partnership arrangements are key to prevention and coordination, responsibility for the deployment of policing resources, including the investigation of rural and agricultural crime, vandalism and organised crime rests with the Chief Constable of the PSNI, who is accountable to the Northern Ireland Policing Board. Accordingly, you may also wish to raise this matter directly with the PSNI.