Insurers make decisions about the terms on which they will offer cover following an assessment of the relevant risks. The Government has not made a specific assessment of domestic key safes and generally does not intervene in the commercial decisions of insurers as this could damage competition in the market.

The Government is determined that insurers treat customers fairly and firms are required to do so under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules. The FCA’s Vulnerability Guidance defines vulnerable customers as those who may be especially susceptible to harm if a firm does not act with appropriate levels of care and requires firms to identify vulnerable customers and to consider the needs of these customers appropriately. This includes ensuring they provide products that are fair value to consumers and clear communications which are fair and not misleading. The FCA has robust powers to act against firms that breach its rules.

The Government would always recommend consumers shop around to find the most suitable cover at the best price. The British Insurance Brokers’ Association can offer customers guidance on looking across the insurance market for suitable products and may be able to provide names of specialist brokers.

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions by age group for a wide variety of offences including rape, murder, manslaughter, burglary, sexual offences, and kidnapping in the Outcomes by Offences data tool. This can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal Justice Statistics.

The Government shares concerns over the misuse of both manufactured and homemade catapults, whether against people, property or wildlife.

There are a wide range of laws in place to punish those who misuse catapults. The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies, including Dorset police, with a range of tools and powers that they can use to respond to anti-social behaviour, including involving catapults. This includes Community Protection Warnings and Notices and Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs).

Under the Prevention of Crime Act 1953, if a person carries an offensive weapon in a public place or threatens a person with an offensive weapon, they may face up to 4 years in prison. The definition of an ‘offensive weapon’ may include a catapult depending on the circumstances of the case.

Where a catapult is used to harm a person, under the Offences against the Person Act 1861, it could be charged as assault occasioning actual bodily harm which carries a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment, or the offence of wounding or causing grievous bodily harm with intent, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Specific to animals and birds, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds and some wild animals in England and Wales and there are a range of other offences found in further legislation to protect wild animals from cruelty such as the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

We have noted proposals for new restrictions, and we are actively considering what more might be done.

The Government recognises the wide-reaching impact of commercial burglary, including the profound impact these crimes can have on business owners, retail workers and the wider community.

The offences for non-residential burglaries such as business and commercial burglary across England and Wales decreased by 13% in the year to September 2025 compared with the previous year.

The table below shows the proportion of non-residential (commercial) burglaries reported to police in England resulted in a charge or summons in the last three years:

Police recorded offences, burglary - business and community, England

Note 1: Figures for year ending Sep 2023 exclude Devon and Cornwall

The Government is determined that robust action should be taken to prevent commercial burglaries from happening and ensure swift justice for perpetrators.

We are doing this by focusing our efforts on delivering our ambitious police reform agenda, the central aim of which is to protect and revitalise neighbourhood policing. We are lifting national responsibilities off local forces, so they focus on tackling local issues, like tackling commercial burglary. In addition, the Government has already taken steps to boost the neighbourhood policing response, ensuring that every neighbourhood has named, contactable officers and more visible patrols, with over 3,000 additional police officers and police community support officers put into neighbourhood roles in less than a year.

Through the Crime and Policing Bill we are giving police the powers they need, including to enter and search premises where stolen items are reasonably believed to have been stolen and located, and where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a court warrant. This will significantly enhance the ability of the police to act swiftly and effectively in recovering stolen property.

Guidance for the police, including authorised professional practice guidance, is a matter for the College of Policing. The National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) works closely with businesses, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to prevent and reduce the impact of business crime in the UK. National Police Chief Council leads for business crime work closely with the NBCC to support the policing response to business crime, including on improved outcomes.

The Government recognises the wide-reaching impact of commercial burglary, including the profound impact these crimes can have on business owners, retail workers and the wider community.

The offences for non-residential burglaries such as business and commercial burglary across England and Wales decreased by 13% in the year to September 2025 compared with the previous year.

The table below shows the proportion of non-residential (commercial) burglaries reported to police in England resulted in a charge or summons in the last three years:

Police recorded offences, burglary - business and community, England

Note 1: Figures for year ending Sep 2023 exclude Devon and Cornwall

The Government is determined that robust action should be taken to prevent commercial burglaries from happening and ensure swift justice for perpetrators.

We are doing this by focusing our efforts on delivering our ambitious police reform agenda, the central aim of which is to protect and revitalise neighbourhood policing. We are lifting national responsibilities off local forces, so they focus on tackling local issues, like tackling commercial burglary. In addition, the Government has already taken steps to boost the neighbourhood policing response, ensuring that every neighbourhood has named, contactable officers and more visible patrols, with over 3,000 additional police officers and police community support officers put into neighbourhood roles in less than a year.

Through the Crime and Policing Bill we are giving police the powers they need, including to enter and search premises where stolen items are reasonably believed to have been stolen and located, and where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a court warrant. This will significantly enhance the ability of the police to act swiftly and effectively in recovering stolen property.

Guidance for the police, including authorised professional practice guidance, is a matter for the College of Policing. The National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) works closely with businesses, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to prevent and reduce the impact of business crime in the UK. National Police Chief Council leads for business crime work closely with the NBCC to support the policing response to business crime, including on improved outcomes.

The Government recognises the wide-reaching impact of commercial burglary, including the profound impact these crimes can have on business owners, retail workers and the wider community.

The offences for non-residential burglaries such as business and commercial burglary across England and Wales decreased by 13% in the year to September 2025 compared with the previous year.

The table below shows the proportion of non-residential (commercial) burglaries reported to police in England resulted in a charge or summons in the last three years:

Police recorded offences, burglary - business and community, England

Note 1: Figures for year ending Sep 2023 exclude Devon and Cornwall

The Government is determined that robust action should be taken to prevent commercial burglaries from happening and ensure swift justice for perpetrators.

We are doing this by focusing our efforts on delivering our ambitious police reform agenda, the central aim of which is to protect and revitalise neighbourhood policing. We are lifting national responsibilities off local forces, so they focus on tackling local issues, like tackling commercial burglary. In addition, the Government has already taken steps to boost the neighbourhood policing response, ensuring that every neighbourhood has named, contactable officers and more visible patrols, with over 3,000 additional police officers and police community support officers put into neighbourhood roles in less than a year.

Through the Crime and Policing Bill we are giving police the powers they need, including to enter and search premises where stolen items are reasonably believed to have been stolen and located, and where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a court warrant. This will significantly enhance the ability of the police to act swiftly and effectively in recovering stolen property.

Guidance for the police, including authorised professional practice guidance, is a matter for the College of Policing. The National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) works closely with businesses, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to prevent and reduce the impact of business crime in the UK. National Police Chief Council leads for business crime work closely with the NBCC to support the policing response to business crime, including on improved outcomes.

The information requested is provided in the attached excel tables. These tables include data covering the period 2020 – 2024 on the number of offenders who were convicted of a specified offence but did not receive an immediate custodial sentence, by the number of previous convictions for that specified offence.

This data is not regularly published or held in an easily accessible format. The information supplied has been sourced from a bespoke retrieval from the Police National Computer database.

Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the independent judiciary. When deciding what sentence to impose, courts must consider the circumstances of the case, including the culpability of the offender, the harm they caused or intended to cause, and any aggravating and mitigating factors, in line with any relevant sentencing guidelines, developed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales.

Previous convictions are already a statutory aggravating factor, with Sentencing Guidelines being clear that sentencers must consider the nature and relevance of previous convictions, and the time elapsed since the previous convictions.

The information requested is provided in the attached excel table. This table includes data covering the period 2020 – 2024 on:

• The number of offenders who were a) convicted and b) cautioned for an indictable offence who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence by number of previous indictable convictions for specified offences, and

• The number of offenders who were convicted or cautioned for an indictable offence who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence by number of previous indictable convictions for specified offences.

This data is not regularly published or held in an easily accessible format. The information supplied has been sourced from a bespoke retrieval from the Police National Computer database.

Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the independent judiciary. When deciding what sentence to impose, courts must consider the circumstances of the case, including the culpability of the offender, the harm they caused or intended to cause, and any aggravating and mitigating factors, in line with any relevant sentencing guidelines, developed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales.

Previous convictions are already a statutory aggravating factor, with Sentencing Guidelines being clear that sentencers must consider the nature and relevance of previous convictions, and the time elapsed since the previous convictions.

There are clearly defined national standards for patient access to urgent and emergency care with a clinically led model that prioritises those in the greatest need. While NHS England routinely monitors and evaluates Category 1 and 2 ambulance response times by clinical condition, e.g. cardiac arrest or stroke, NHS England does not record the cause of the incident, e.g. assault or injury sustained during a burglary. The requested data on the number of ambulance callouts for violent or assault-related injuries and injuries sustained during a burglary or break in is not centrally collected. Similarly, response and handover times for such incidents are not available. No specific assessment has been made of ambulance delays on the survival and recovery rates for these victim groups.

For data on crime-related incidents, including assaults and burglaries, please refer to police-recorded crime data, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/police-recorded-crime-and-outcomes-open-data-tables

There are clearly defined national standards for patient access to urgent and emergency care with a clinically led model that prioritises those in the greatest need. While NHS England routinely monitors and evaluates Category 1 and 2 ambulance response times by clinical condition, e.g. cardiac arrest or stroke, NHS England does not record the cause of the incident, e.g. assault or injury sustained during a burglary. The requested data on the number of ambulance callouts for violent or assault-related injuries and injuries sustained during a burglary or break in is not centrally collected. Similarly, response and handover times for such incidents are not available. No specific assessment has been made of ambulance delays on the survival and recovery rates for these victim groups.

For data on crime-related incidents, including assaults and burglaries, please refer to police-recorded crime data, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/police-recorded-crime-and-outcomes-open-data-tables

This Government recognises the particularly invasive nature of domestic burglary, and the profound impact these crimes can have on individuals and the wider community.

Police recorded burglary has decreased by 10% in the year to June 2025 compared with the previous year and was 73% lower than year ending March 2003 when current recording practices began. Residential burglary was down 11%, within this category home burglaries and burglaries of unconnected buildings are both down 11% compared with previous year. Non-residential burglaries also fell by 9% compared with the previous year.

Whilst the fall in the number of these crimes is welcome, too many people still experience the trauma of a domestic burglary every year, and the Government is determined that everything possible is being done to prevent these crimes from happening.

As part of reforms being delivered through our Safer Streets Mission, we are determined to crack down on burglary and other crimes that make people feel unsafe in our communities. This includes delivering on our commitment to strengthen neighbourhood policing. Through our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, there will be thousands of additional police officers, police community support officers and special constables in neighbourhood policing roles, with each neighbourhood having a named, contactable officer dealing with local issue.

In June 2023, the National Police Chiefs’ Council announced that police forces across England and Wales had been fulfilling the commitment to attend home burglaries since March 2023. To support this, the Home Office and NPCC chair the Residential Burglary Taskforce, bringing together government, police, academics, industry leads, civil society groups and others to examine what more can be done to prevent domestic burglary, and to drive progress.

The Home Office collects and publishes official statistics on the offences and investigative outcomes recorded by the police in England and Wales on a quarterly basis, including burglary, which can be accessed here:

Police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables - GOV.UK

The Home Office collects and publishes official statistics on the offences and investigative outcomes recorded by the police in England and Wales on a quarterly basis, including burglary, which can be accessed here:

Police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables - GOV.UK

The Home Office collects and publishes official statistics on the offences and investigative outcomes recorded by the police in England and Wales on a quarterly basis, including burglary, which can be accessed here:

Police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables - GOV.UK

First of all, I am sorry to hear about that. Hard-working businesspeople who spend a lot of their time building up a business should expect the full force of the law to protect their property and their interests. Also, while I have the opportunity, can I congratulate the hon. Member on running Hamble Valley’s very first pub competition this year? I hope that I will get an invite. He is absolutely right that we have to have increased police numbers and ensure that they are responsive to people’s concerns. We are doing that; his Government let people down.

Q14

.

Paul Holmes (Hamble Valley) (Con):

A small family business in my constituency was recently burgled by a prolific offender serving an eight-month suspended sentence. The man was caught, arrested, charged and appeared in court, where he was given another eight-month suspended sentence and was released. The business was offered £200 in compensation. Does the Deputy Prime Minister think that that is justice served, or is this Government now soft on crime and soft on the causes of crime?

The Ministry of Justice currently has no plans to review or reform the law regarding householders and the use of force against intruders in self-defence.

Charging decisions in cases regarding householders and the use of force against intruders in England and Wales are made independently by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Reasonable force may be used by homeowners to protect themselves or others if a crime is taking place inside their home. This means individuals can protect themselves ‘in the heat of the moment’ - this includes using an object as a weapon or to stop an intruder running off - for example by tackling them to the ground. There is no specific definition of ‘reasonable force’ as this will depend on each individual circumstance. A homeowner does not have to wait to be attacked before defending themselves in their home. If a homeowner has acted in reasonable self-defence and the intruder dies, they will still have acted lawfully.

However, a prosecution could follow if, for example, the attack on an intruder continues after the danger has passed or a trap has been pre-planned for an individual rather than informing and involving the police.

Guidance regarding householders and the use of force against intruders can be found at Householders and the use of force against intruders | The Crown Prosecution Service.

The CPS does not hold any data which shows the number of defendants who were homeowners prosecuted for using unreasonable or excessive force to protect themselves against an intruder in their home. To establish whether defendants were homeowners using excessive force against an intruder would require a manual review of case files and with over 440,000 defendants prosecuted by the CPS during 2024, this would be at disproportionate cost.

Data is held from 2015 showing the number offences of murder, attempted murder, and manslaughter charged by way of common law (or the Criminal Attempts Act 1981 in respect of attempted murder) in which a prosecution commenced and reached a first hearing in the magistrates’ courts. From 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2024, 12,418 such offences were charged. This figure relates to the number of offences and not the number of individual defendants. It can be the case that an individual defendant is charged with more than one offence against the same complainant. No data is held showing the final outcome or if the charged offence was the substantive charge at finalisation.