§ Mr. Dubsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces have started or intend to start neighbourhood watch schemes.
§ Mr. HurdPolice forces in England and Wales that have started neighbourhood watch schemes under that or other names, or are intending to start schemes, are as follows:
Schemes started Metropolitan Norfolk Avon and Somerset Northamptonshire Bedfordshire Northumbria Cheshire North Wales Dorset Nottinghamshire Durham South Wales Essex South Yorkshire Hertfordshire Staffordshire Leicestershire Sussex Merseyside
Schemes planned Cambridgeshire Hampshire Derbyshire Kent Dyfed Powys Surrey Gloucestershire Thames Valley Gwent West Mercia
§ Mr. Dubsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Metropolitan police districts have started or intend to start neighbourhood watch schemes; and how the areas are selected.
§ Mr. HurdI understand that all except two of the 24 Metropolitan police districts have started schemes, of which there are now 69 in operation and a further 223 planned. Districts A and C (parts of the city of Westminster) do not have schemes at present but there are proposals to start schemes in A District. The police select mainly high crime areas in which to start schemes but are willing to respond to requests for schemes from community groups in any area. They regard participation by about 40 per cent. of households in any given area as the minimum proportion needed for a viable scheme.