20/12/2023
THE REQUEST:
About the Taskforce (links below), I ask to be provided the date of the meetings and the notes
arising from these:
MPS advice 01/12/2023:
The attendees from the Policing Side are the NPCC (I expect this is the NPCC Vehicle Crime Lead)
and West Midlands Police. Should you wish to enquire further, please contact NPCC / West
Midlands Police.
https://www.westmidlands-pcc.gov.uk/pcc-joins-vehicle-crime-taskforce/
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/policing-minister-chairs-new-taskforce-to-tackle-vehicle
theft
NPCC RESPONSE:
The NPCC does not hold recorded information captured by your request.
The NPCC has a legal obligation to try and advise and assist you further with your request; for more
information on the legislation please see Annex A.
In wishing to explain further, outside of the Freedom of Information Act and as a gesture of
goodwill, my colleagues from the Vehicle crime Working Group provided the following information:
‘According to the article, this met in January 2019, led by Nick Hurd MP (Minister for Policing and the
Fire Service), with the intention to meet every 6 months. Six months later, Kit Malthouse MP took
over as Minister for Crime, Policing and the Fire Service (later as Minister for Crime and Policing).
There have been further ministerial changes since then, with Tom Pursglove MP covering the role
for a very brief period before handing over to Chris Philp MP.
I have confirmed with ACC Sims (Current NPCC Vehicle Crime Lead) that they have no knowledge of
the group and can find no records of the taskforce from their predecessor either.
For information, similar work is led by ACC Sims through the National Vehicle Crime Working Group.
These meetings are not minuted.’
You may wish to direct your request to the Home Office as this Taskforce was being led by the then
Minister for Policing and Fire Service, for any records they may hold relating to the taskforce.
Details on how to submit an FOI to the Home Office can be found on the webpage below:
Home Office – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The full request history can be read here. A response to the above was submitted:
Thank you for your response. I understand DAC Graham McNulty, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for vehicle crime was in attendance 15/01/2019.
An action plan was to be circulated – and subsequently an updated one (tasks & leads).
- please could you confirm that there are no records created by Mr McNulty and no action plans were received.
with regard to the ‘Vehicle Crime Working Group’ (VCWP) it is unclear whether they are the task force by another name, comprised the same or similar parties with the same or similar goals.
please can you provide since 01/01/2019 the VCWP:
- dates of meetings
- attendees
- terms of reference
I note this is a group that keeps no minutes. Please provide
- whatever notes, action plans, or agendas from these meetings may exist.
- an explanation, if held, for why the meetings would not be minuted
The request was progressed and in February 2024 and a response provided brief details of those in attendance, the Agenda but no meeting notes – they were not minuted meetings. The response can be read here.