Closed Circuit Television (Hansard, 26 April 1999)

§ 16. Mr. Jeff Ennis (Barnsley, East and Mexborough)
What assessment he has made of the likely increase in the use of CCTV to combat crime. [80966]

§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. Paul Boateng)
We announced on 16 March that £170 million would be made available over the next three years to support the deployment of closed circuit television to combat crime and disorder. Guidance for crime and disorder reduction partnerships on how to apply for funding under the initiative will be issued soon.

§ Mr. Ennis
I am sure that that reply will be received extremely well by my constituents. At present, three very successful CCTV schemes operate in my constituency. One covers Barnsley town centre, and another Doncaster town centre. The third covers Grimethorpe, the former mining community that has been badly affected by drugs-related crime over the past three years. However, whenever a CCTV scheme is begun, the problem arises of crime being displaced from the area that it covers to neighbouring areas that are not so covered. Does my hon. Friend have any hard evidence about that displacement?

§ Mr. Boateng
The evidence that we have is that displacement is not an issue. It is interesting to note that CCTV seems to be capable of reducing crime in a particular area without displacing it to surrounding areas. That is one reason why the initiative taken in this matter by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer is so very welcome. However, CCTV has to be part of a whole package. There is no substitute for police-public partnerships or vigilance on the part of the public but, in conjunction with them, CCTV can—and does—make a real contribution.

§ Mr. James Gray (North Wiltshire)
The £170 million that the Minister has just announced will be welcome in many communities, but it is in stark contrast to the paltry £1 million that has been spent since the Government came into office. In my constituency, the people of Chippenham have had to fund their so far rather limited CCTV 15 installation themselves. In the new funding proposals, will the Minister undertake to examine closely Chippenham's desire to expand CCTV coverage in the town centre?

§ Mr. Boateng
The point is that, under the previous Government's budget for CCTV, £1 million was made available: under this Government, the sum is £170 million. The hon. Gentleman would do better to ask the right hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield (Sir N. Fowler) whether he is prepared to do battle with the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Mr. Maples) and other colleagues to match that figure. If Conservative Members cannot say that they will match it, they would do best to button their lips on the matter.

§ Mr. Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley)
The use of CCTV has been a huge success in Chorley. Its introduction has been most welcome, but CCTV needs to be extended into the parishes, which may be smaller but are just as important. That would help with the fight against crime in the rural parts of my constituency.

§ Mr. Boateng
I have visited my hon. Friend's constituency, and well remember the CCTV scheme there. I urge my hon. Friend to put in a bid on the parishes' behalf. The Government have made £170 million available, but it is now possible for bids to be reopened, and I am sure that my hon. Friend will put his bid in.