Background The National Crime Agency
12.In July 2010 the Home Office set out the Government’s plans for policing reform in Policing in the 21st Century(1), including proposals for a new National Crime Agency (“NCA”) to lead the fight against serious and organised crime and strengthen border security. Further details of the Government’s proposals for the creation of the NCA were announced by the Home Secretary on 8 June 2011 (House of Commons, Official Report, columns 232 to 234). The accompanying The National Crime Agency: A plan for the creation of a national crime-fighting capability (Cm 80972) set out the proposed structure of the NCA comprising:
	Organised Crime Command;
	Border Policing Command;
	Economic Crime Command;
	Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command (“CEOP”).
13.The four commands would be underpinned by an intelligence hub, tasking and co-ordination arrangements and a National Cyber Crime Unit.
14.The NCA will build on the work of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (“SOCA”) which was established by Part 1 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.
15.The establishment of the NCA is part of the Government’s wider organised crime strategy, Local to global: reducing the risk from organised crime(3), published on 28 July 2011. Part 1 of the Act provides for the establishment of the NCA and the abolition of SOCA and the National Policing Improvement Agency (“NPIA").