§ 3 p.m.
§ Lord Campbell of Croy asked Her Majesty's Government:
§ Whether they have appraised recent results since tracking devices were installed in motor vehicles to locate them quickly when stolen.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Transport (Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish)No, my Lords. Such appraisal will be a matter for the police service.
Lord Campbell of CroyMy Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply. However, I hope that he and his department noted that among other successful recoveries there was one last month when a vehicle was tracked and retrieved and about 20 other stolen vehicles 1573 were found with it in a secret hideaway. Is progress at last in sight against the excess of car crimes which is the cause of constant worry and nuisance to many people in this country?
§ Lord Mackay of ArdbrecknishMy Lords, in response to my noble friend, I did indeed notice that one of the tracking devices led the police to a veritable Aladdin's cave of stolen vehicles. That is obviously an important aspect of tracking devices and it ought to encourage more people to fit them to their cars.
The Viscountof FalklandMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that recently a British product in this technology has been developed and is now on the market? It not only tracks vehicles, but is able, through the vehicle control systems of the tracked car, to limit the car's power output. That is surely bad news for opportunist crooks known as "joyriders".
§ Lord Mackay of ArdbrecknishMy Lords, I am aware that there are four systems currently on the market but I was not aware of quite the refinement which the noble Viscount points out to me. Clearly, if by electronic means the power can be removed from the engine of the car, that would have to be bad news for the thief.
§ Lord Montagu of BeaulieuMy Lords, will my noble friend agree that, effective as these devices may be for tracking cars, the most important objective is to stop the car being stolen in the first place? Therefore, appraisal of immobilisers is much more important.
§ Lord Mackay of ArdbrecknishMy Lords, in response to my noble friend, I think that the motorist ought to take a number of steps to prevent his or her car being stolen. That includes, dare I say it, making sure that they lock their cars. I believe that immobilisers are one aspect, alarms are another and a further one is undoubtedly the tracking devices, the subject of my noble friend's Question today.
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyMy Lords, following the question from the noble Lord, Lord Montagu, will the Minister agree that, in seeking to prevent motor theft, one of the most effective ways has been shown to be motor projects whereby young people are encouraged to work legally with motors? What action are the Government taking to increase expenditure and activity on motor projects?
§ Lord Mackay of ArdbrecknishMy Lords, as I explained to the noble Lord last time we discussed the matter, in 1992–93 the Home Office spent something like £450,000 on projects of that kind. We have commissioned research in order to evaluate the effectiveness of such projects and we look forward to the results of that research.
§ Lord ChalfontMy Lords, will the Minister accept from me that some of us are extraordinarily encouraged to find that the noble Lord, Lord Henley, is not the only Minister from the Government Front Benches to answer questions?
§ Lord Mackay of ArdbrecknishMy Lords, perhaps I may tell the noble Lord that my noble friend shares that sentiment!