§ Mr. PickthallTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what regulations he envisages will govern the activities of neighbourhood watch patrols; and if he will make it his policy that no pressure should be put on neighbourhood watch groups to institute patrols.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to compensate members of the public for injury and wrongful arrest by members of his proposed extended neighbourhood watch scheme;
(2) what plans he has to ensure that convicted criminals are screened out of his proposed extended neighbourhood watch scheme;
(3) what plans he has to require members of his proposed extended neighbourhood watch scheme to wear numbered armbands or other means of personal identification.
§ Mr. Charles WardleIn England and Wales there are over 115,000 neighbourhood watch schemes covering more than 5 million households. These are voluntary organisations run by local residents with the support of the police, and whose activities are geared to dealing with local crime prevention issues. Arrangements for membership is entirely a matter for individual schemes and internal arrangements including dress code and any screening of members is a local decision in consultation with the local police.
With the sanction of the local police, a number of schemes have chosen to undertake patrolling in their neighbourhood. In recognition of local initiatives and support of this growing trend, my right hon. and learned Friend announced at the neighbourhood watch conference on 4 December that a code of practice would be drawn up in consultation with the Association of Chief Police Officers. There will be no requirement for neighbourhood watch schemes to patrol. The matters which could be covered in the code of practice will include the need for the 648W agreement of the local police before schemes undertake patrols, information on what scheme members should do on seeing something suspicious, and the need to stay completely within the law.