§ 4. Mr. HagueTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on new initiatives undertaken by car manufacturers as part of his strategy to defeat car crime.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerI am glad to report that in the past few months we have made real progress with the car manufacturers. I have had three meetings with them and our manufacturers are committed to improving the security of their cars and, in particular, introducing immobilising devices, deadlocks and visible identification numbers. Much has been done in the past few months, but more needs to be done. I am meeting the manufacturers again early in March.
§ Mr. HagueI welcome the moves made so far by my right hon. Friend to encourage manufacturers to make cars more defensible. Will he undertake to include the insurance industry in his fight against car crime and encourage it to give financial incentives by way of lower premiums to owners who improve the security of their vehicles?
§ Mr. BakerI have had two meetings with the Association of British Insurers. At the first, there was not much co-operation, but I am glad to say that in October the association announced a scheme similar to that which my hon. Friend suggested—to offer discounts to certain car owners who have security devices fitted when the car is being made in the factory. It has also introduced excess payments for when goods are stolen from people's cars. That is a beginning, but I expect the insurance industry to do much more in helping to reduce car crime.
§ Mr. William RossIs the Secretary of State aware that any measures taken to increase car security will be welcome in Northern Ireland, where stolen vehicles are so often used in terrorist murders and other such crimes? Will he also ask the manufacturers to consider the possibility of installing devices to enable stolen cars to be traced, so that if a terrorist murder is committed the police can get on the track quickly?
§ Mr. BakerI acknowledge that in Northern Ireland cars are used extensively for terrorist activities, quite apart from normal criminal activities to support terrorism. On the hon. Gentleman's last point, I am glad to say that work is being done on such devices so that we can trace cars more effectively. All those measures must be taken because cars are now involved in 30 per cent. of all crime. Unfortunately, that is a record unique to Britain. We have a uniquely high level of car crime and we must all do something to reduce it.
§ Mr. OnslowCan my right hon. Friend say what proportion of that car crime is carried out by juveniles and how many of them come into the category of persistent offenders?
§ Mr. BakerA large proportion of car crime is carried out by young males between the ages of 12 and 22. I must ask my right hon. Friend to wait for an answer to his question about persistent offenders. I shall be making a statement in the next few days about offending while on bail.
§ Mr. DarlingIt must be six years since the right hon. Member for Finchley (Mrs. Thatcher) first met the manufacturers. Since then, there have been about half a dozen glitzy launches—featuring among others, the Home Secretary grinning into the television cameras, telling us that something was going to be done some time. Is it not time that the Government forced the pace and, if necessary, made regulations requiring manufacturers to incorporate safety procedures? We do that regularly for aviation safety matters. Why cannot the Government force the pace, make real progress and do something about reducing what the Home Secretary acknowledges is the fastest growing crime?
§ Mr. BakerProgress is being made. Significant changes have been made during the past few months. As a result of my promptings, car manufacturers are committed to introducing immobilising devices on all new cars by the end of the year. In addition, I have put the matter on the agenda for the Ministers of the Interior of our partners in Europe, because I want a European standard with tighter security applying to all cars made in Europe and sold in this country.