Email correspondence from National Crime Agency to Senior Committee Specialist, DCMS Committee

16 November 2018

Further to your conversations with my colleague Matthew Brooks, the following is the NCA’s response to the report:

BEGINS

The NCA has initiated an investigation concerning the entities Better for the Country (BFTC) and Leave.EU; as well as Arron Banks, Elizabeth Bilney and other individuals. This follows our acceptance of a referral of material from the Electoral Commission. This is now a live investigation, and we are unable to discuss any operational detail.

ENDS

Regards,

John

John Hughes

T/Senior Manager, Strategy

National Crime Agency

12 November 2018

Thank you for making the time to talk on Friday.

My job initially was to do a scoping exercise to speak to the teams investigating under their own processes and legislation about the different parts of the investigations involving Cambridge Analytica, Arron Banks and Brexit. I identified possible lines of enquiry, investigative opportunities and challenges for a briefing paper.

The investigation has now been taken up by the NCA. I’m not on the case team, as it is now a full operation, a Senior Investigation Officer (SIO) has been appointed.

It is normal for any briefing or reply such to questions such as the ones posed by the DCMS committee will go through the case team and the SIO.

They may be constrained though in their replies by operational considerations such as;

-         The need for the NCA to investigate with an open mind all reasonable lines of enquiry, whether they lead to or away from any involvement in crime.

-         Anyone brought before a court has an absolute right to a fair trial. The NCA cannot release any information which may prejudice any future court case.

-         The need for operational Security. This is vital in order to secure any evidence or criminal assets.

I have been in touch with the case team, they should contact you tomorrow to arrange to get the information for the DCMS committee report.

Yours Sincerely,

Matthew Brooks
Senior Officer

National Cyber Crime Unit
National Crime Agency