HC Deb 23 June 1988 vol 135 cc683-4W
Mr. David Nicholson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the increase in the use of security marking, as recommended by his Department and the crime prevention centre, since 1983; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John Patten

Whilst detailed information is not held centrally, there can be no doubt that security, or property marking, has increased significantly since 1983

Staff in post (grade equivalents) Number of Women Percentage of Women Number of respondents to ethnic surveys Percentage of respondents staling ethnic minority origin
Grades 1–7–1892 204 11 1,565 2
SEO and HEO—2858 567 20 2,284 1
EO–4964 1,512 30 3,233 3.5
AO and below 8698 5,271 61 6,441 8.8
Prison Service unified grades—19178 VI-VIII 1,120 6 5,597 0.6
Total—37590 8,674 23 19,120 4

Mr. Janner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to improve equality of opportunity for women and for people from ethnic minorities in all grades of his Department, in connection with employment, training and promotion, respectively.

Mr. Hurd

We are committed to equality of opportunity for all members of staff, and all applicants for appointment. We shall continue to examine recruitment, training and promotion to see what further steps might usefully be taken.

and, in particular, that it is being widely used in neighbourhood watch scheme areas and by crime prevention panels. Apart from the results of research undertaken by the Home Office, there is also a large amount of anecdotal evidence from around the country which suggests that security marking acts both as a deterrent and as an important aid to the police in returning stolen property to its rightful owner.