HC Deb 31 January 1985 vol 72 cc236-7W
12. Mr. Lightbown

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he intends to encourage more local effort in crime prevention.

Mr. Giles Shaw

The Home Office crime prevention unit has been actively encouraging and assisting a wide range of local initiatives aimed at preventing burglary, theft, autocrime and violence. This will continue. The unit is helping in the preparation of a report for local authorities and police forges giving examples of good practices. It is also revising the guidelines for local crime prevention panels; and promoting a number of regional panel conferences.

19. Mr. Maclean

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how his Department plans to ensure that a higher priority is given by national and local government to crime prevention.

Mr. Giles Shaw

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Staffordshire, South-East (Mr. Lightbown) earlier today. In addition to the activities I have already referred to, we are co-operating with other central departments in giving more prominence to crime prevention nationally. The Home Office Standing Committee on Crime Prevention, which I chair myself, is considering ways of enhancing its role and influence. To stimulate public awareness a £1.5 million television and press campaign was mounted in London and the midlands last autumn.

59. Mr. Norman Atkinson

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further steps he intends to take to combat the increase in crime.

60. Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to combat the increase in violent crime.

Mr. Giles Shaw

Chief officers of police are encouraged by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary to formulate strategies both for the prevention and investigation of crime which reflect prevailing local patterns of crime and which make best use of the resources at their disposal. Strategies for the most effective use of available resources against crime are also being developed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. The Home Office crime prevention unit is supporting and encouraging local crime prevention activity involving the police, other relevant agencies and the public.

An effective criminal justice strategy must include an adequate range of sentencing powers which will command confidence. In addition to measures already introduced, the Government are supporting a private Member's measure by my hon. Friend the Member for Delyn (Mr. Raffan) to increase to life imprisonment the maximum penalty for persons convicted of trafficking in class A drugs and intends to introduce at the next legislative opportunity a measure similarly to increase the maximum penalty for persons convicted of carrying firearms in furtherance of crime.

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