HC Deb 13 March 1989 vol 149 cc1-2W
Ms. Richardson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department consulted women's organisations and others with expertise in rape, sexual assault and domestic violence before deciding to include questions on rape, sexual assault and domestic violence in his Department's survey on attitudes to crime; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John Patten

The questionnaire for the survey was devised by a team of international experts on victimisation surveys. The survey in England and Wales was supervised by the Home Office research and planning unit the members of which have had considerable experience of victimisation surveys and research.

Ms. Richardson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the interviewers who conducted his Department's survey on attitudes to crime and who telephoned women at random to ask questions about rape, and other sexual and domestic violence, were women; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John Patten

About half of the interviewers used by Burke Marketing Research Ltd, who conducted the telephone survey of experience of crime for the Home Office, were women.

Ms. Richardson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether women's organisations, or others with expertise on rape, sexual assault and domestic violence, were consulted or asked to contribute to the training programme for interviewers who conducted his Department's survey on attitudes to crime; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John Patten

Interviewers underwent a full training programme for telephone interviewing and operated under the Market Research Society's code of conduct. There was also a full briefing for inerviewers by a female Home Office survey expert.