§ Mr. SpellarTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department is taking to reduce the theft of motor cycles. [204]
§ Mr. MacleanThe Government are well aware of the misery suffered by the victims of motor cycle theft and is tackling this problem through a multi-agency approach as part of its overall vehicle crime reduction strategy.
One of the key ways in which the Government are trying to reduce theft is by educating motor cycle owners on the need to take practical security precautions. The Home Office security advice leaflet specifically for motor cyclists is entitled "Putting the Brakes on Bike Theft" and it offers basic security advice on locking up, parking and parts marking. We shall be revising this leaflet shortly and will be looking to the motor cycle organisations for advice on the main messages which need to be conveyed.
Advice for motor cycle owners is also included in the Home Office's crime prevention handbook "Your Practical Guide to Crime Prevention". The Home Office has received requests for over 2 million copies of this booklet.
The Home Office is represented on the Motorcycle Theft Action Group on which members of the motor cycle industry and all others with an interest in crime reduction also sit. The group's work is aimed at achieving a co-ordinated and effective approach to tackling motor cycle theft.
Home Office research into the theft of motor cycles during the 12-month period October 1994 to September 1995 was presented to the group, and the findings are being used by members to target vulnerable areas and focus initiatives where they are most needed.