§ 9. Mr. Bill O'Brien (Normanton)What recent reports he has received from police forces in England on attacks on elderly people; what advice he gives to the police on protecting the most vulnerable members of society; and if he will make a statement. [85572]
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. Paul Boateng)The Government, through the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, have encouraged the police and local authorities to work in partnership with other local organisations to tackle crime against the elderly where 8 that has been identified as a local problem. There are many examples of successful local initiatives to deal with bogus callers and those who commit other crimes that particularly affect the elderly, including the doorstep code introduced by the West Yorkshire police, which has made a particularly valuable contribution.
§ Mr. O'BrienI thank my hon. Friend for that response and also for his Department's effort and its provision of £50 million for the next three years to try to help communities that have high burglary rates. I am concerned about the number of elderly people who feel isolated and socially excluded for want of better street lighting and better lighting around their premises, and more secure doors and windows in their homes to try to prevent people from breaking in and attacking them. It was recently reported that an elderly widow had been murdered in her home, and over the past two years, two of my elderly constituents have been murdered in their homes. My local newspaper regularly reports that elderly people have been attacked, mugged and threatened by people in their community. We need to concentrate more on protecting the most vulnerable people from those bullies.
§ Mr. BoatengMy hon. Friend rightly identifies crime against the elderly as being essentially a quality-of-life issue for the elderly. There can be nothing more debilitating for an elderly person than the fear that when they go down the road to pick up their daily paper they will return to find that their house has been burgled, or that they will be subjected to harassment while they are going to or from their home. That is why my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary introduced the Crime and Disorder Act and why we are placing particular emphasis on target hardening.
Part of the £50 million that will underpin the Crime and Disorder Act will be spent on providing the nuts-and-bolts practical advice and assistance to which the elderly are entitled. That will give them the proper sense of safety and security in their home.
§ Mr. James Gray (North Wiltshire)Does the Minister agree that not only such worthwhile initiatives but sentencing policy should take care of the most vulnerable in our society—the elderly and the very young? Is he aware of a very alarming case in Swindon, which was announced, I think this morning, of the release into my constituency on three years' probation of a paedophile who has been convicted of 17 separate offences against very young children? Does he agree that that sends out the wrong message to paedophiles, and a very alarming one to mothers of young children in my constituency?
§ Mr. BoatengIt would be wrong of me to comment on an individual case, but I would be only too happy to meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss sentencing policy generally, because this House will wish the clearest message to be sent to those who prey on the vulnerable—be they young or old—that they will be punished, and punished severely, when they offend in such a way.