HC Deb 15 December 1988 vol 143 cc702-3W
19. Mr. Cash

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the numbers of neighbourhood watch schemes operating(a) nationally and (b) in the Stafford area.

Mr. John Patten

At the beginning of October, there were almost 60,000 neighbourhood watch schemes in England and Wales with 159 schemes in the Stafford police division covering nearly 17,000 households. This is an increase of almost 100 schemes over the last 12 months and the number of households covered has more than doubled.

36. Mr. Sumberg

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the numbers of neighbourhood watch schemes operating(a) nationally and (b) in the Bury, South constituency.

Mr. John Patten

At the end of October, there were almost 60,000 neighbourhood watch schemes in England and Wales and 288 schemes in the Bury metropolitan district division of the Greater Manchester police force area. I understand from the chief constable of Greater Manchester that figures are not readily available on the number of schemes in my hon. Friend's constituency.

45. Mr. Simon Coombs

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many households in England and Wales are now members of a neighbourhood watch scheme; and if he will make a statement.

88. Mr. Pawsey

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many households in England and Wales are now members of a neighbourhood watch scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John Patten

There are now almost 60,000 neighbourhood watch schemes in England and Wales covering some 3.25 million households. Since the establishment of the first scheme in 1982, neighbourhood watch has caught the public's imagination and I welcome this clear evidence of their commitment to help the police in dealing with local crime problems.

55. Mr. Mans

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the numbers of neighbourhood watch schemes operating(a) nationally and (b) in the north-west area.

Mr. John Patten

At the beginning of October there were almost 60,000 neighbourhood watch schemes in England and Wales, with over a quarter of this total (16,800) in the Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside police force areas.

97. Mr. Roger King

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the role of the neighbourhood watch scheme in crime prevention.

Mr. John Patten

Neighbourhood watch schemes can be effective in reducing crime and the fear of crime, in increasing public awareness of the part they can play in preventing crime, in improving co-operation between the public and the police, and in providing a focus for action for those who wish to work against crime.