§ 10. Mr. Desmond Swayne (New Forest, West)How many child curfew orders have been (a) applied for and (b) granted. [121540]
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. Paul Boateng)No applications have been received from local authorities to establish child curfew schemes. The failure of some local authorities to recognise the importance of ensuring that they use the full range of powers that are now available to them to counter anti-social behaviour is a matter of continuing concern.
§ Mr. SwayneWhat is a matter of concern is that the arrangements are entirely unworkable. What is the Minister going to do to make them operable?
§ Mr. BoatengThe hon. Gentleman is misguided. If he consults his own crime and disorder partnership, he will find that it makes good use of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. Indeed, I have a copy of the partnership document; it indicates that a group has been established, led by the chief officer of police and the chief executive of the district council, to look at anti-social behaviour orders—which must be seen alongside the child curfew orders. That group is making considerable progress. The hon. Gentleman should be supporting his local partnerships, rather than knocking the Act that set them up.
§ Mr. Frank Roy (Motherwell and Wishaw)My right hon. Friend will be aware that child curfew orders have been used, as a last resort, on housing schemes in the west of Scotland. Does he agree that the use of role models is also important for children? If so, what would he tell children on the west of Scotland housing schemes whom I represent about looking to a rapist and a person who bites off someone else's ear during a boxing match as a role model. What would he tell children who think of Mike Tyson as a role model?
§ Mr. BoatengI should tell them that a large range of role models is available and that they do not have to turn to Mike Tyson or anyone like him in order to find one.
§ Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York)The Minister referred to anti-social behaviour orders. Will he tell the House how many have been issued? Why does he think that the partnerships to which he referred actually work—rather than responsibility being taken by the police?
§ Mr. BoatengForty—and half of them were issued specifically in relation to juveniles. If the hon. Lady talks to her own local partnership, she will find that as valuable as the order itself is the fact that the Crime and Disorder Act has enabled local agencies—education, social services, health, probation and the police—to work together to tackle those problems, thus making it unnecessary in many cases to apply for an order. The important point is that the power exists; it is being used, and it is working.