§ 42. Mr. Michael BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department is taking to combat car crime; and if he will make a statement.
§ 68. Mr. PawseyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department is taking to combat car crime; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John PattenLast November, the Home Office standing conference on crime prevention set up a working group to consider the prevention of car crime. Rover Group, which is represented on the working group, has offered to produce a thief-proof concept car, incorporating a range of the latest technology in car security, for display at this year's standing conference in December.
Three parts of a British standard on vehicle security (mechanical locking systems, security of in-car entertainment equipment and window etching) have been published and further parts are due to be published shortly. We are seeking to have the British standard adopted as a European Community directive.
675WOur new crime prevention publicity campaign, launched in March, includes information on car crime and the scope for preventing it.
In 1987 the number of offences of theft of or taking of a motor vehicle recorded by the police in England and Wales fell by 5.2 per cent. compared to 1986. Although conclusions should not be drawn from one year's statistics, it is encouraging that this reduction coincided with measures taken by the Home Office and by police forces throughout the country with the specific aim of reducing car crime.