§ Mr. Andrew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies he has undertaken or commissioned in relation to the theft and racing of cars in the Oxford area; and if he will outline the aspects being examined.
§ Mr. Jack[holding answer 10 November 1992]: Although no studies have so far been undertaken or 782W commissioned specifically in relation to the theft and racing of cars in the Oxford area, a number of important lessons have been learned from the incidents which have occurred on the Blackbird Leys estate. In particular, they illustrated the need for the law to be strengthened in this area. The Aggravated Vehicle-Taking Act 1992, which came into force on 1 April, significantly increased the courts' power to deal with the menace of car taking.
Moreover, the Home Office has supported or carried out a number of more general research studies on issues relating to car crime, including the nature of offending. These include crime prevention unit paper 32 "Tackling Car Crime: The Nature and Extent of the Problem" and paper 34 "Preventing Car Crime in Car Parks", copies of which are in the Library.
The results of studies completed to date are being used to help develop the car crime prevention strategy and the need for further research in this area will be closely monitored.