HC Deb 28 March 1985 vol 76 cc276-7W
Mr. Rogers

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase financial support for crime prevention schemes following the increase in both violent and non-violent crime revealed by his Department's 1984 statistics.

Mr. Brittan

Financial support for crime prevention schemes is provided through the urban programme. It has been increased from £3.2 million in 1983–84 to approximately £6.3 million for 1984–85.

45. Mr. Roger King

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence he has to show that better crime prevention could lead to a reduction in burglaries and incidents of auto-theft.

57. Mr. Sims

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent research has been undertaken by his Department into the contribution towards reducing crime levels which can be made by local crime prevention planning.

Mr. Giles Shaw

The crime prevention unit, which my right hon. and learned Friend established within the Home Office in November 1983, has undertaken a number of locally based research and development projects in conjunction with the police and other agencies into burglary, autocrime, and disorder associated with licensed premises. These projects have confirmed the value of locally planned initiatives against crime as recommended in the joint departmental circular on crime prevention of 30 January 1984. Reports on completed projects are available through the Home Office crime prevention unit.

48. Mr. Corbett

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to better assist victims of crime and encourage crime prevention.

Mr. Mellor

With regard to assistance for victims of crime, I refer the hon. Member to the recent Government reply (Cmnd. 9457) to the report of the Home Affairs Committee on compensation and support for victims of crime (HC 43). In addition, consideration is being given to possible improvements in the compensation powers of the criminal courts and in the arrangements for informing victims of the progress of prosecutions and for applying for compensation orders; legislation is to be introduced during the life of this Parliament placing the criminal injuries compensation scheme on a statutory footing; and the United Kingdom is to ratify shortly the European convention on the compensation of victims of violent crimes.

With regard to crime prevention, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier today to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean).