Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 190
190
Accepted in Part
Employ dedicated intelligence-sharing protocols and joint task forces against organised drone and phone gangs
Recommendation
While current partnerships with police and the National Crime Agency aimed at tackling drone incursions are positive, they are not sufficient. The MoJ and HMPPS must employ dedicated intelligence-sharing protocols and joint task forces to specifically target the organised criminal gangs behind drone-related activity and the flow of illicit mobile phones. This includes tracking electronic financial transactions and supply chains. (Recommendation, Paragraph 104)
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, recognizing the threat and highlighting existing intelligence-sharing protocols with law enforcement. It rejects leading dedicated task forces for organized crime, stating this is the responsibility of the Home Office and policing, but commits to supporting cross-government efforts and funding 47 policing roles.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
Partially accept We recognise the serious threat posed by Serious and Organised Crime (SOC) seeking to compromise prison security through drone incursions and illicit mobile phones and we agree that strong partnerships and intelligence-sharing are essential in tackling these risks effectively. HMPPS already works closely with law enforcement agencies, including the National Crime Agency and the police, through established tasking arrangements and intelligence-sharing protocols. Our Headquarters teams provide targeted support to the most at-risk prisons, ensuring that local security strategies are informed by national intelligence and operational priorities. In addition, our Area Intelligence Units play a critical role in gathering and analysing intelligence on serious and organised crime within prisons. While we do not accept the recommendation to lead dedicated task forces targeting organised crime – this responsibility sits with the Home Office and policing – we do remain committed to supporting cross government efforts. Through the SOC model, HMPPS funds 47 policing roles focused on combating SOC and corruption linked to prisons. We also co-lead the new Quarterly Partnership Prison and Probation Executive Oversight Board with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, which coordinates joint activity to address threats such as illicit phones and drone-related criminality.