HC Deb 15 February 1999 vol 325 cc588-9
4. Mr. Andrew Dismore (Hendon)

What measures he proposes to protect people from repeat burglaries. [69107]

The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. Paul Boateng)

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary recently announced his intention to implement in December section 4 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997, which provides for mandatory minimum sentences of three years' imprisonment for those convicted for a third time of committing domestic burglary. That supports the action that the Government are already taking to reduce and prevent burglary through the crime reduction programme and the work of the local crime and disorder partnerships.

Mr. Dismore

Will my hon. Friend join me in congratulating the Metropolitan police on the fact that levels of burglary in the capital are at their lowest since 1980? In particular, will he congratulate my local police service in Barnet, which has achieved a 26 per cent. reduction in burglary over two years through a multi-agency approach?

Is my hon. Friend aware of the recent survey by the Met, which showed that Londoners' No. 1 priority for policing is combating burglary? I welcome the Government's commitment to taking firm action against repeat burglars, who cause such misery when they prey on our constituents' homes, by giving the courts the powers that they need to deal with them.

Mr. Boateng

I am happy to recognise and congratulate my hon. Friend's local police for their excellent work on burglary. The Met is leading the way in targeted policing to combat burglary. The Government are concentrating on ensuring swift and condign punishment for those who are caught and convicted of burglary because of the harm that they do. We are doing all that we can to support and encourage the nuts and bolts measures on the ground that the police and public can take together to prevent burglary.

Mr. John Bercow (Buckingham)

Why does the Minister not recognise that the early release of prisoners on the home detention curfew scheme, many of whom are burglars, will make a mockery of the Government's attempts to convince the public that they are cracking down on serious burglars?

Mr. Boateng

When will the hon. Gentleman learn not to try to score cheap party political points on a measure that enjoyed cross-party support on the Home Affairs Committee? After we discharge prisoners, we ensure that we retain the capacity to supervise them. They are punished in a condign way when they are caught. We are concentrating on making sure that there are programmes in prisons to prevent reoffending and on supervising prisoners on release. The Conservatives never did that when they had the stewardship of the criminal justice system.

Mr. Bill O'Brien (Normanton)

I thank my hon. Friend for his response on how burglars will be dealt with. The victims of crime are usually those who cannot afford the resources to protect their property. Are the Government able to help secure the homes of people on low incomes, old people in particular, to try to ensure that they are defended against burglars?

Mr. Boateng

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. That is why we are applying about £50 million over three years to tackle burglary and to effect target hardening to ensure that older people, in particular, and all vulnerable victims of crime in high-burglary areas get the assistance that they need to deter and prevent burglary. That holds out the prospect of about 2 million households receiving help that they never would have got had that lot opposite returned to power at the general election.