§ 14. Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department is currently undertaking any studies into the effects of the fear of crime.
§ Mr. MellorThe British crime survey, conducted by the research and planning unit, collected a great deal of information on fear of crime and its effects. Findings on fear have been published in three reports in the Home Office research series, and two further studies are in progress.
§ Mr. CohenThe Minister has referred already to the recent public relations seminar, in which the Prime Minister talked about crime prevention. How much money will the Government provide for crime prevention, especially to local authorities, which want to get on with the job of tackling the vandalised and run-down areas where crime breeds?
§ Mr. MellorThe hon. Gentleman has a long and somewhat selective memory. He might care to reflect on the dramatically increased resources given to the police, which mean that they are back on the beat and organising neighbourhood watch schemes, whereas under Labour Governments they were compelled to drive around in panda cars because there were not enough of them.