§ Mr. HepburnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, with statistical information, relating as directly as possible to the constituency, the effects on Jarrow of his Department's actions since 2 May 1997. [153562]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe Home Office is working to build a safe, just and tolerant society in which the rights and responsibilities of individuals, families and communities are properly balanced, and the protection and security of the public are maintained. Detailed information on the impact of Home Office policies across the full range of responsibilities is set out in Home Office annual reports. A copy of the most recent report, Home 701W Office Annual Report 1999–2000, is available in the Library. The next report will be published shortly. Information on recorded crime and policing is also published. 'Recorded Crime England and Wales, 12 months to September 2000' and 'Police Service Strength England and Wales, 30 September 2000' can be found in the Library. The recorded crime statistics include information on recorded crime by Basic Command Unit and Crime and Disorder Partnerships.
The impact of Home Office policies and actions is not normally examined by constituency and the statistics which the Department collects, such as recorded crime, cannot be matched in the way requested although set out below are examples relating to the Jarrow constituency or the immediate locality:
Targeted Policing Initiative
Under round one of the Targeted Policing Initiative, £40,000 has been awarded to develop an integrated strategy to tackle crime and disorder in rural towns and villages. Northumbria police in partnership with Tynedale District Council, local parish councils and the Northumberland Social Services and probation service will tackle both localised offending and crime resulting from travelling criminals. A local multi-agency safety group will develop intelligence about offenders and identify "hotspots". The project will employ a range of interventions including a mobile police station and use of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV).
Youth Offending Teams (YOTs)
Jarrow comes under South Tyneside YOT which is involved in a number of schemes including establishing restorative approaches, working with victims of crime and holding successful restorative conferences. 35 per cent. of reparation orders/requirements have included an element of direct reparation to victims. There is a very successful project in Biddick Hall where 22 young people involved in serious youth disorder did reparation in the same area repairing damage to a primary school, cleaning off graffiti etc. It has been very well received by local community/ residents (and by parents of young people). It is too early to say definitively what the effects of these actions are on re-offending and reducing levels of youth crime. In response to some concern about youth disorder, there has recently been a seminar funded and facilitated by Government Office North-East, and the YOT will be taking appropriate action within the context of a proposed youth disorder strategy.
More generally, all of the policies of the Home Office will impact on the residents of Jarrow to a greater or lesser extent. For example: 376 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships have been established; racial harassment and racially motivated crimes have been made criminal offences by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998; the asylum backlog has been cut from 103,495 at the end of January 2000 to 66,195 by the end of December 2000; and good progress is being made in reducing the incidence of fire deaths in England and Wales. They have dropped from 605 in 1997 to 534 in 1999.
Information on the Home Office and its policies is also published on its website www.homeoffice.gov.uk.