HC Deb 17 May 2004 vol 421 cc761-4W
Chris Ruane

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the percentage change in(a) domestic burglary, (b) juvenile anti-social behaviour, (c) arrests for violent crime, (d) incidents of violent crime, (e) road traffic collision involving fatality or serious injury, (f) domestic burglary per 1,000 households, (g) robberies per 1,000 population and (h) vehicle crimes per 1,000 population was between 2001–02 and 2002–03 for (i) division of the North Wales police and (ii) each local authority in North Wales. [154295]

Ms Blears

The available statistics recorded by North Wales Police, are given as follows. Those figures derived from recorded crime statistics will have been affected by North Wales police adopting the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard in October 2001.

Percentage changes between 2001–02 and 2002–03: Domestic burglary1 increased by 34 per cent. Juvenile anti-social behaviour2 remained level. Two Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) were issued in both 2001–02 and 2002–03. Arrests for violent crime3 increased by 28 per cent. Violent crime1, 4 increased by 53 per cent. Details on road traffic collisions involving fatality or serious injury, are not collected by the Home Office. Domestic burglaries pet 1,000 households1 increased by 31 per cent. Robberies per 1,000 population1 increased by 15 per cent. Vehicle crimes per 1,000 population1 increased by 5 per cent.

1The National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) had the effect of increasing the number of crimes recorded by the police. Therefore, following the introduction of the Standard, numbers of recorded crimes, and figures derived from them, are not directly comparable with previous years.

2Figure based on number of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, as reported to the Home Office, issued to juveniles (persons aged 10–17 years), within North Wales.

3Figure based on numbers of notifiable arrests made by North Wales Police.

4Violent crime comprises the offences of Violence against the person, Sexual offences and Robbery.

Crime statistics are recorded at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) level. CDRPs were set up under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and are broadly local authority areas They include representatives from police, health, probation and other local agencies and provide strategies for reducing crime in the area. The available figures are given in the table.

Percentage change between 2001–02 and 2002–03, by CDRPs in North Wales
CDRP Domestic burglary Violent crime
Conwy -3 74
Denbighshire 45 78
Flintshire 37 29
Gwynedd 47 41
Isle of Anglesey 104 55
Wrexham 42 53
See footnote I above.

The number of ASBOs1 which were issued to juveniles, by local authority area, for 2001–02 and 2002–03:

Local authority area 2001–02 2002–03
Conwy 0 1
Wrexham 2 1
1ASBOs are issued by the courts but can be applied for, among other authorities, the police.

Figures on arrests are not collected by local authority area.

More generally, the British Crime Survey (BCS), which asks members of the public about their experiences of crime, gives a more complete estimate of crime in England and Wales since it covers both unreported and unrecorded crime. It also gives a more reliable indication of trends in crime as BCS estimates are unaffected by changes in levels of reporting, or in police recording. Between 2001–02 and 2002–03 there was a decrease of 2 per cent. in crime as measured by the BCS.

Mr. Hendrick

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what public funds were spent on tackling drugs misuse in Preston in(a) 1997–98 and (b) 2003–04. [1696961]

Caroline Flint

Breakdown of financial allocation to local constituencies is not available to the Home Office. Funding is allocated to Drug Action Team (DAT) areas, in this case Lancashire DAT.

In 1997–98 (pre-dating National Drugs Strategy) funding available to Lancashire DAT area totalled £670,000.

In 2003–04 the total drugs allocation for Lancashire was £6,015,000. In order to ensure consistency figures supplied are based on funding streams associated with the National Drug Strategy and are readily verifiable. These funding streams are specifically targeted at tackling the harm caused to individuals, families and communities by the misuse of drugs. Other mainstream funding is made available at a local level, this varies and both in amount and origin as a result it is not possible to provide robust financial information.

2003–04
Amount (£)
Partnership Capacity 118,000
Treatment Pooled Budget 3,980,000
Through Care After Care Pump Priming 35,000
Building Safer Communities1 1,147,000
Young People 735,000
Total 6,015,000
1Contains non-drug elements.

Mr. Neil Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers preventing racial harassment have been introduced since 1997; and how many times these powers have been used in Wigan. [169336]

Fiona Mactaggart

The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 created new and separate offences where the offences of causing fear and violence or of causing harassment, alarm or distress under the Public Order Act 1986, or the offences of harassment or putting in fear of violence under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 were racially aggravated.

Figures for the number of prosecutions in Wigan for this type of offence are not centrally available. Over the period 1999–2000 to 2001–02 Greater Manchester police recorded a total of 2,075 harassment offences.

Prior to 1997 the Race Relations Act (RRA) 1976 already prohibited discrimination on racial grounds. The RRA did not specifically refer to harassment, but it was clear from case law that racia1 harassment was a type of detriment capable of amounting to the kind of less favourable treatment prohibited by the Act.

As part of its fulfilment of its obligations under the EC Race Directive the UK amended the Race Relations Act 1976 (by virtue of the Race Relations Act 1976 (Amendment) Regulations 2003) so as to make it unlawful to harass a person, on grounds of race or ethnic or national origins, in the areas of activity covered by the 1976 Act.

Mr. Neil Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what public funds were spent on tackling drug misuse in Wigan in(a) 1997–98 and (b) 2003–04. [169338]

Caroline Flint

The period 1997–98 pre-dates National Drug Strategy, during this time the local council and primary care trust allocated funding for tackling drug misuse. Accounting procedures mean that the 1997 figures are no longer available and that 1998 figures are not accessible by the DAT.

In 2003–04 the total drugs allocation was £2,187,607. In order to ensure consistency figures supplied are based on funding streams associated with the National Drug Strategy and are readily verifiable. These funding streams are specifically targeted at tackling the harm caused to individuals, families and communities by the misuse of drugs. Other mainstream funding is made available at a local level, this varies and both in amount and origin as a result it is not possible to provide robust financial information.

2003–04
£
Partnership Capacity 72,429
Treatment Pooled Budget 1,455,000
Through Care After Care Pump Priming 35,000
Building Safer Communities1 410,404
Young people 214,774
Total 2,187,607
1Contains non-drug elements.