§ 9. Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore) (Lab)What assessment has been made of the impact of partnership working on community safety in police authority areas since 1997. [171324]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Caroline Flint)Partnership working is essential for ensuring the safety of our communities. Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary, jointly with the Local Government Association, Ofsted and the social services inspectorate, have inspected agencies within community safety partnerships, as has the Audit Commission. It was confirmed that substantial progress had been made. More needs to be done, but we are helping to reduce crime.
§ Huw Irranca-DaviesDoes the Minister agree that one of the greatest achievements of the Government is that we have extended community safety beyond mere policing to the wider community? Does she therefore share my dismay that when I attended the Nant-y-Moel neighbourhood watch the other evening, the more than 25 people there were not aware of the great powers that we have passed to them? Does she agree that, to paraphrase Citizen Smith, we have given the power to the people but some of them do not know about it?
§ Caroline FlintIt is always distressing to hear of such things. My hon. Friend had a visit not so long ago from 18 my noble Friend Baroness Scotland and I understand that the partnership in his constituency is working better. However, there is no excuse for those involved in such partnerships not making themselves aware of the powers available. We have produced good practice guidelines and a new unit is looking at performance and support to ensure that the highest standards can be reached everywhere. We will consider intervening in areas that are not using the powers that are clearly available to them. This is an important issue and people deserve to have such powers used on their behalf.
§ Mr. Edward Garnier (Harborough) (Con)The Minister will perhaps agree that the expression "the impact of partnership working on community safety" is pretty meaningless. What is important to my constituents—particularly those in South Wigston, which is the least well off part of my constituency—is that youngsters engaged in binge drinking, to whom the hon. Member for Wirral, South (Mr. Chapman) referred a moment ago, are kept out of shops selling drink and off the streets. For the second time in five years, I shall address a conference in my constituency on antisocial behaviour. What we would like—I hope that the Minister can help us to achieve this—is more police officers patrolling the streets of South Wigston and more community support officers. They provide a uniformed presence and deter youngsters from misbehaving in public places.
§ Caroline FlintI am glad to hear that the hon. and learned Gentleman has made it to his constituency twice in five years. He argues for more police and community support officers, but this Government have delivered in that regard. What are required are resources and an attitude that recognises that tackling crime today is not only a matter for the police. It is also a matter for local authorities and, where drugs are concerned, for primary care trusts and others involved in that issue. We want more police officers, community support officers and others, but we will get them under a Labour Government and certainly not under a Conservative one.