§ Mr. GunnellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he plans to take to co-ordinate the work of voluntary organisations concerned with the prevention, detection and effects of crime with special reference to Victim Support and Crime Concern with those from the statutory authorities with special reference to the Safer Cities Project. [4810]
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§ Mr. Michael[holding answer 25 June 1997]: The Government are committed to reducing crime through the enhancement of local partnership arrangements. That is why we intend to create a statutory duty for local authorities and the police service jointly to ensure that the vital work of all key agencies—voluntary and statutory—is brought together locally within a co-ordinated multi-agency framework.
The local community—which includes residents, voluntary organisations and the business community—will be involved in identifying local problems of crime and disorder and together will then draw up and implement plans to tackle those identified local problems.
In this way, everyone's effort will be complementary, mutually supportive and, above all, better focused on local problems.