§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether there is evidence to suggest a link between certain building design characteristics, particularly in blocks of flats, and increases in certain crimes, and if so what steps they are taking to discourage such characteristics in new buildings, and in cases of recently constructed buildings suffering from these characteristics, whether resources are available to local authorities and others to change them.
The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (The Earl of Caithness)There is debate about the nature of the relationship between housing design and crime, but it is generally recognised that housing design is an important factor along with others including social conditions, policing policies and the quality of local housing management. The Department of the Environment has under way a programme to disseminate to building professionals and practitioners the principles and practice of "designing out" crime.
Local authorities are free to determine their own priorities in spending the resources available to them.