§ Mr. Brightasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government intend to make greater funds and manpower available to the crime prevention programme.
§ Mr. BrittanThe recent White Paper on the Government's expenditure plans 1980–81 (Cmnd. 7746) announced additional provision for the law and order and protective services, including the police. It is for chief officers of police to decide, in the light of local circumstances, how their resources, in terms of manpower and expenditure, can best be allocated for crime prevention.
§ Mr. Brightasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what measures the Government propose to take to make attacks on citizens in the streets less frequent;
(2) what measures the Government propose to take to increase the ability of the police to prevent attacks on citizens in the street.
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§ Mr. BrittanThe Government attach the highest priority to maintaining law and order, and consider that the best protection for the citizen is a strong effective police force. Since the beginning of this year, there has been a gain of 3,416 in the strength of the police in England and Wales which, on 30 September, stood at 112,491. It is for chief officers to decide how they should deploy this additional strength, but I am sure that the safety of people in the street is one of their major concerns.
§ Mr. Brightasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied that the public's right to move around in safety is not in serious jeopardy.
§ Mr. BrittanI can never be entirely satisfied while street crimes continue to be committed. We shall continue to support every effort by chief officers of police to prevent the commission of such crimes.