HC Deb 17 January 2000 vol 342 cc544-5
5. Mrs. Helen Brinton (Peterborough)

What support and funding are available to community groups for (a) fighting crime and (b) working to improve the quality of life in their areas. [103965]

The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. Charles Clarke)

The Government are committed to promoting and developing community involvement and self-help as part of their overall aim of improving the quality of life in all communities. In support of that, the Government allocate funds to umbrella bodies that provide expert advice, support and training to local community groups to help strengthen the community sector infrastructure and fight crime. A number of projects are already being run by the crime and disorder reduction partnerships, including the reducing burglary initiative, targeted policing and closed circuit television.

Mrs. Brinton

I welcome that reply, and my hon. Friend's clear commitment to making our communities safer. What does my hon. Friend have to say in praise of the Eastfield residents association? That part of my constituency was dubbed a war zone in the House two years ago, but the association has worked well to combat crime. In addition, how would he reply when the association says that local people can do only so much and that they would like some Government support?

Mr. Clarke

My hon. Friend has told me about the work of that residents scheme, and I am happy to commend it. Active communities and tenants and residents associations make a massive difference in reducing crime in many communities. The thrust of our crime reduction partnerships under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 is to link with initiatives such as those taken in my hon. Friend's constituency and to bring resources to bear where they can make the greatest difference. In many crime reduction partnerships, community involvement makes a material difference in delivering results.

Mr. James Paice (South-East Cambridgeshire)

Will the Minister consider the work done in the city of Cambridge by the charity Wintercomfort? Will he consider in particular the case of my constituent, John Brock, the director of the charity, who, just before Christmas, was sentenced to four years in prison for drugs-related offences, the details of which I shall not bore the House with? That has had serious consequences for many community programmes that try to help the homeless and people at the bottom of our society to overcome their problems, including drug abuse. Will the Minister see whether there is anything he can do?

Mr. Clarke

The hon. Gentleman knows that I cannot comment on the specifics of the case to which he refers, as that is a matter for the courts. I am, however, prepared to consider his substantive point about the impact of the court case on the charity involved and the means required for support, and I will listen to representations from the hon. Gentleman or from people from his constituency on how the strength of charity and community work can be maintained at a time of significant disruption.

Mr. Bruce Grocott (Telford)

I welcome all that my hon. Friend has said, but will he have a word with our mutual right hon. Friend, the Minister of State, Home Office, who, on a visit to Telford, saw the work of The Wrekin community safety partnership, which was set up in 1993 when there were not many such partnerships? The partnership has shown great strength in identifying local problems and solutions. Will my hon. Friend ensure that the best practice to be found among the partnerships is made widely available? We can all learn from each other.

Mr. Clarke

I take that point. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State is sitting next to me and tells me that the scheme in The Wrekin is excellent. My hon. Friend the Member for Telford (Mr. Grocott) made the profound point that we must be much more effective in spreading knowledge of best practice in community schemes. We have set in motion a process that will make us far more effective in that area than we have been hitherto.

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