§ Mr. McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he plans to take to curb the increase in crimes of violence and sexual attacks.
§ Mr. John PattenMeasures to prevent these offences include tougher maximum penalties for violent offences (carrying firearms and knives); increases in police manpower; targeting of high crime areas by police; measures to deal with alcohol-related disorder; education, research and crime prevention. Further action, including 175W new measures to tackle domestic violence, are being taken forward by the ministerial groups on crime prevention and on women's issues. Some of the recorded increase in violent crime and sexual offences is due to increased reporting by the public and recording by the police.
§ Mr. David MartinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of violent offences against the person consists of incidents of domestic violence.
§ Mr. John PattenThe results of a recent ad hoc survey of offences of violence recorded by the police indicated that one in eight offences of violence against the person involved domestic violence. Some results from this study are published in Home Office Research Bulletin No. 27, a copy of which is available in the Library.