§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, including statistical information relating as directly as possible to the North Devon constituency, the effects on North Devon of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [155904]
§ 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 is available in the Library. 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 House of Commons 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 are examples relating to the North Devon constituency or the immediate locality:
Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)
North Devon district council was awarded approximately £153,000 for a 13-camera system covering crime hotspots in the Barnstaple area, including two car parks that are not covered by the current CCTV system. The scheme aims to significantly reduce violent crime, disorder and vehicle crime, also reducing the number of repeat victims and generally improving the quality of life for local residents.
851WYouth Offending
Devon Youth Offending Service (YOS) was one of the initial pilot areas for Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) and also piloted Parenting Orders and Child Safety Orders. The Devon YOT is one of the largest in the country and is divided into a three team structure: North Devon (North Devon, Torridge, West Devon districts); East Devon (Exeter, Mid Devon, East Devon districts); South Devon (Teignbridge, South Hams districts). With regard to habitual re-offending it is still early days for measurement, but a re-offending figure of 9 per cent. with all Final Warnings has been achieved since June 2000, (compared with a figure of 40 per cent. for all cautions over the previous two years). In addition a drop of 23 per cent. in youth crime for the period of October to December 2000 has been recorded Intervention with young offenders is occurring earlier resulting in the teams having worked with over 1,000 young people by the end of this financial year against approximately 450 in the last full year pre YOT (1998).
Overall youth crime in Devon is lower than the National and Regional average with one offence per one 106 of the 10–17 year old population. There was a reduction in 10 out of the 13 categories of crime from quarter 2 to quarter 3 2000–2001. Racially aggravated youth crime is very low (only nine offences) despite a Devon and Cornwall Constabulary figure that has grown by over 100 per cent. in the last year post recommendations following the Stephen Lawrence inquiry encouraging greater reporting of racial incidents.
The YOS has installed a dedicated Information Technology (IT) network and database— "Youth Offending Information Systems" (YOIS). Over 2,500 records have been inputted onto this system. Full data return have been made to the Youth Justice Board (YJB) for all three first quarters. An electronic 'ASSET' assessment tool has also been installed and electronic case management training is scheduled for 2001.
The YOS has successfully integrated into the strategy groups of all eight District Crime Reduction Partnerships. The YOS is also involved in the Cornwall and Devon `CONNEXIONS' pilot with 'personal advisers' working in all three units. This scheme is a Department for Education and Employment (DFEE) and Government initiative to provide young people between the age of 13–19 with advice regarding education and careers and is based in schools, particularly targeting those at risk of underachieving. The YOS Manager is on the new Devon Drug Action Team and YOS team staff are involved with all eight district Drug Reference Groups/Drug Strategy Groups. Staff from all three teams have been trained in Restorative Justice techniques, victim awareness and Cognitive Behavioural work. The Devon YOS are currently operating with an average arrest to sentence time for persistent young offenders of 65 days (below the Government target of 71 days and the second best figure in the country). The YOS are implementing five YJB grant aided projects: `Mentoring' (North Devon); `Restorative Justice', 'Intensive Supervision and Support', `Parenting' and 'Bail Supervision and Support' across all three YOS teams.
852WMore generally, all of the policies of the Home Office will impact on the residents of North Devon 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; andgood 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).