§ 6. Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest figures for the crime of causing malicious damage.
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. Brynmor John)The latest available information is for the first three months of 1978. In that period, 72,600 offences of criminal damage were recorded by the police in England and Wales.
§ Mr. JannerDoes my hon. Friend agree that these figures are caused not merely by an insufficiency of policemen to cope with the problem on the ground but by very deep-rooted social problems, and in particular the building of huge housing estates without sufficient facilities for young people to use their leisure time in an active, lively and useful way? Is he co-ordinating with other Government Departments to improve those facilities and so lessen this crime?
§ Mr. JohnMy right hon. Friend has held a series of discussions not only with Government Departments but with police forces and people in the community who are concerned with this problem. No other crime is quite so dependent upon social conditions. It is certainly not the case that a criminal law can of itself solve the problem of criminal damage.