HC Deb 04 July 1985 vol 82 c230W
27. Mr. Randall

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which recent measures have been most successful in reducing crime.

Mr. Mellor

We are taking action on a number of fronts, and it is difficult to relate changes in the level of crime to particular measures. But some of the crime prevention schemes which have been mounted locally with our encouragement have led to demonstrable reductions in the local incidence of crimes such as burglary.

35. Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reduction in recorded crime he estimates can be attributed to recent new Government policies.

Mr. Mellor

In order to make such an assessment it would be necessary to estimate what the general level of recorded crime would have been if a particular policy had not been followed. There is no way of doing so reliably.

28. Mr. Willie W. Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the latest trends in the crime rates.

Mr. Mellor

Recorded crime in England and Wales in the first quarter of 1985 was 3 per cent. higher than in the same quarter last year. Though any increase is unwelcome, this was a lower increase over the corresponding period of the previous year than in any recent quarter, and within the total there was a reduction of about 3 per cent. in the number of burglaries recorded.