§ 21. Mr. Phil Hope (Corby)What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of town centre CCTV systems in reducing crime and nuisance. [130342]
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. Charles Clarke)A number of research studies show that closed circuit television can have considerable success in reducing crime and anti-social behaviour in town centres and elsewhere. We have the largest scheme in the history of this country, and it is delivering substantial reductions in crime in many different ways.
§ Mr. HopeI thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Without wishing to pre-empt further research, he may like 762 to know that, since CCTV cameras were introduced in Corby, 1,000 arrests have been directly attributable to them and crime has reduced by 32 per cent. Will he therefore consider sympathetically the application for extending CCTV in Corby to the town of Raunds in the rural part of my constituency and to the business watch schemes on industrial estates in Corby?
§ Mr. ClarkeI am grateful to my hon. Friend for that information. I am glad to say that it is typical of what has been happening. The guidelines that we published last February gave priority, in the CCTV bidding process, to three areas: first, rural areas, which my hon. Friend specifically mentioned; secondly, transport to help promote our integrated transport strategy; and, thirdly, out-of-town estates and business parks of the type that he mentioned. If he can get his local council and police to look at the Home Office website, they will find detail that will provide further opportunity for reducing crime in Corby.