HC Deb 28 October 2002 vol 391 cc641-2W
Mr. Waterson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent progress has been made in reducing street crime in Sussex. [75157]

Mr. Denham

The Government's street crime initiative is targeted at the 10 forces which account for 83 per cent. of robbery in England and Wales. The initiative is serving to identify and remove any systemic blockages which currently hinder the tackling of street crime not only in those 10 areas, but across the country. Good practice in partnership working across the criminal justice system and between other agencies will be disseminated to all areas, including Sussex.

The Government have recently published figures for the first six months of the initiative including a document detailing the achievements made through partnership working, the "Delivering the Street Crime Initiative: Partnership in Operation" can be found in the Library or on the Crime Reduction website on www.crimereduction.gov.uk/streetcrime.

Examples of what has been achieved so far which have national implication are: The extension of section 130 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 to provide for remands of 12 to 16-year-olds. This power has now been extended to the rest of the country. The extension of the Bail Act 1976 and the Child and Young Persons Act 1969 to provide tagging while on bail for 12 to 17-year-olds. Tagging for 12 to 16-year-olds has now been extended to the rest of the country. The provision of door-steeping conditions while on bail which allows police officers to check on curfew conditions. To combat the theft of mobile phones, we have introduced legislation making the reprogramming of the phones unique identifying number (IMEI) illegal.

Through this initiative we are sending out a clear signal that we will not tolerate crime on our streets, wherever it occurs.

Mrs. Dean

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on coordination of policies on street crime. [75338]

Mr. Denham

The Street Crime Action Group, chaired by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, has been meeting regularly since March. These meetings involve ministerial colleagues from across Government, the police and other criminal justice agencies, and local government. The group's discussions have focussed on how the police in the 10 areas with the highest levels of street crime can target the problem most effectively. They have also been on how the whole of Government can make a difference, how other agencies, the Crown Prosecution Service, the courts, the Youth Justice Board, schools, local authorities, health, education and social services can join together in a concerted effort to rid the streets of crime on a sustainable basis.

Jim Dobbin

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the levels of street crime. [75339]

Mr. Denham

On 14 October 2002, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced the results of the Street Crime Initiative to date. The figures show that, since the start of the initiative, street crime has fallen by 16 per cent. during the period April to September in the 10 police forces which accounted for over 80 per cent. of the robbery problem in 2001–02. For robbery, the more serious offence, the number of offences in September is 25 per cent. lower than March for the 10 forces as a whole.

The new figures show that what was an escalating situation has been reversed over the period since the launch of the Street Crime Initiative. There has been a 10 per cent. reduction (4,600 offences) in the number of robberies during the period April to September, compared to the same period last year.

The full report, "Street Crime Initiative: Figures to the end of September", is available in the Library.