Crime Prevention: Initiatives (Hansard, 9 November 1988)

The Earl of Dundee
My Lords, a range of initiatives are under way and encouraging progress is being made. Three areas have now agreed to take part in the safer cities programme, and six others have been invited to participate. The first phase of the Government's crime prevention publicity campaign with the new crime prevention handbook has received a very encouraging response from the public and the second phase of the campaign was launched this morning. Advertisements will appear in the national press from tomorrow.

§ Baroness Elliot of Harwood
My Lords, I thank the noble Earl for that Answer. I should like to congratulate him on the way in which this scheme has grown. I hope we shall continue to produce as much propaganda for it as possible so that we have more and more of these schemes and more and more attempts to prevent the horrible crimes which we presently have in this country.

§ Baroness Phillips
My Lords, is the Minister aware that last weekend 200 young people from junior crime prevention panels met at a national conference in Wales organised by the police and commerce? It was very successful. No Minister of the Government had the time or ability to attend that conference. Can he explain why that was so?

The Earl of Dundee
My Lords, I cannot answer in particular regarding the conference referred to by the noble Baroness. However, I assure her that my right honourable friend and all his colleagues are taking extremely seriously the whole area of crime prevention.

§ Baroness Phillips
My Lords, I must press this matter. When I was a Minister in the Government there was no way that the government of the time would have allowed an important conference like that, organised voluntarily by the police and commerce, to have no representation at all from Her Majesty's Government.

Noble Lords
Question!

§ Baroness Phillips
My Lords, yes, I heard that. Perhaps I may say that in passing.

§ Lord Orr-Ewing
My Lords, does my noble friend not agree that all citizens, particularly young citizens, have a part to play in crime prevention? Has he been able to persuade local councils and authorities, in particular ILEA, to allow the police to go into all schools so as to spread knowledge and enthusiasm for crime prevention among our young people?

The Earl of Dundee
My Lords, yes. I can reassure my noble friend that crime prevention with young people is very much a matter which the Government are bearing in mind and they will do all that they can to embrace all related initiatives.

Lord Hunt
My Lords, is the noble Earl aware of the admirable work which is being done all over the country in the name of intermediate treatment? Is he also aware—I am sure he is—of the intermediate treatment fund, which is now in its tenth year and has already funded some 11,000 projects which include not only young people who have been referred from the courts but many other young people who are at risk of getting into trouble with the law, and young people generally? That is one of the most promising avenues in which to approach and deal with the prevention of crime.

The Earl of Dundee
My Lords, I agree with the noble Lord in what he says and I am grateful to him for mentioning intermediate treatment.

§ Lord Mishcon
My Lords, is it not very noticeable that in almost all the supplementary questions asked on this very important matter, youth has featured as the main item? In view of the fact that at the root of crime prevention one has to look at the cause of crime, would it not be a very good idea, in view of the seriousness of the proportion of youngsters in crime figures, for the Government to set up a commission to look specifically into the matter of youth and crime, its causes and cures?

The Earl of Dundee
My Lords, I agree with the sentiments expressed by the noble Lord, Lord Mishcon, of an objective look into the causes of problems concerning young people. Exactly how one goes about dealing with the problem is another matter and that is of course for my right honourale friend to decide.

§ Lord Renton
My Lords, further to the supplementary question asked by my noble friend Lord Orr-Ewing, is my noble friend the Minister aware that under the common law all citizens had a 625 duty to arrest people who had committed felonies, which are now understood to be arrestable offences? Will the Government take full advantage of that obligation and remind people at large of that duty?

The Earl of Dundee
My Lords, I am interested in what my noble friend said and I shall pass on his remarks to my right honourable friend.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, my noble friend Lady Phillips, who has considerable experience in this field, sought to put a question to the noble Earl about an important conference called by the police and industry. She asked the noble Earl why no Minister was present. Were the Government aware of that conference? If so, why did they not take steps to see that they were properly represented there?

The Earl of Dundee
My Lords, I have to tell the noble Lord the Leader of the Opposition that I cannot comment on the thrust of the matter to which he alludes, but I shall certainly pass on his remarks.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, I am most grateful to the noble Earl for his courteous reply but will he be good enough to write to my noble friend on this matter?

The Earl of Dundee
Yes, my Lords.

§ Baroness Seear
My Lords, will the noble Earl again consider the reply he gave to the noble Lord, Lord Mishcon? A great many of us are extremely concerned about the increase in crime especially among young people. We know that the age at which there is a serious likelihood of crime being committed has fallen, and that has extremely serious implications. The Minister should again consider what the noble Lord, Lord Mishcon, said. At the same time, I ask the Minister to consider better aftercare provision for young people on completion of custodial sentences. It makes the greatest possible difference if there is adequate aftercare.

The Earl of Dundee
My Lords, I agree entirely with the noble Baroness in regard to the earlier supplementary of the noble Lord, Lord Mishcon. Of course, I shall pass on his remarks to my right honourable friend.