Businesses have just two weeks to ensure their voices are heard and their concerns about business crime are registered, Home Office Minister John Denham said today.
Speaking to leading industry figures Mr Denham encouraged all types of business to get involved in the consultation on business crime which runs until the end of the month.
Mr Denham, Minister for Crime Reduction, said:
"The Government is determined to help tackle business crime, but we can only do so if we work closely together with businesses. I want to hear directly from people who face problems every day such as anti-social behaviour, drugs and crime and most importantly how it affects their livelihood.
"We understand that business crime is not 'victimless' and the Home Office is currently undertaking a survey to find out just how much business is affected. Current estimates suggest crime costs businesses in the UK £19billion a year and it is companies and their customers who end up footing the bill.
"The business crime consultation is the first chance businesses have had to tell Ministers about their experience of crime and how we can tackle it. All types of business need to play a part – from the corner shop to the multi-national.
"We will consider all responses carefully and if there is sufficient interest there is a strong possibility that we will establish a business crime unit aimed at developing a centre of excellence within the Home Office to further develop initiatives to reduce business related crime."
Mr Denham was joined at the conference by Martin Wyn Griffith, Chief Executive of the Small Business Service, who said:
"I'm eager to support business in working to reduce crime. The best way for small firms to make their voice heard is to put forward their ideas and suggestions to the consultation process. Business crime is an issue that all firms would like to see addressed and small businesses shouldn't miss this opportunity to help make a difference."
The 12-week consultation, which comes to an end on 28 February, marks an important step towards reducing crime that affects the business community. The Government aims to underline its commitment to tackling crime through effective partnership working with business.
NOTES TO EDITORS
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Mr Denham was addressing the Business Crime Consultation seminar at the Holiday Inn Hotel, Victoria, London, which has been organised by the Small Business Service.
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The Business Crime Consultation was launched by John Denham on 3 December and closes on February 28 (pn333/2002).
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Businesses interested in participating in the Home Office consultation can find more information at www.crimereduction.gov.uk or from www.homeoffice.gov.uk
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The British Chamber of Commerce estimate that crime costs the UK economy £19billion annually.
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Businesses interested in becoming more involved in crime reduction at a regional level can contact their Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership through the regional Government Office.
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The Home Office is carrying out a commercial victimisation survey, which will look at how crime affects the retailing and manufacturing industries. Detailed information will be collected about the circumstances of crime against business, levels of concern about crime, the overall social and economic impact of crime on businesses and levels of satisfaction with police response and advice on crime. The results of this will be available later this year and will help us to quantify the crime problems facing business. This in turn will help us to understand where we should be focussing our effort.
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