HC Deb 18 May 1993 vol 225 cc93-4W
Mr. Whittingdale

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with(a) insurance companies and (b) vehicle manufacturers about measures to reduce car crime.

Mr. Jack

Both the insurance industry and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders are represented on my advisory committee on car crime prevention. This committee met in October last year and in March this year. A further meeting is scheduled for later in the summer. One of the central concerns of the committee is the measures that should be taken—by the motor manufacturers and the insurance industry, among others—to reduce the opportunities for car crime.

I have also held separate discussions with senior representatives of the Association of British Insurers to consider what more the insurance industry could do to help combat car crime. The most recent meeting was on 10 May.

In addition, I have attended numerous motoring events around the country, where I have discussed the question of car security with individual motor manufacturers.

Mr. Whittingdale

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department is taking to encourage the fitting of immobilisers to cars.

Mr. Jack

The Home Office has for some time been seeking to encourage motor manufacturers to improve vehicle security and, in particular, to fit effective immobilisers which would prevent the unauthorised use of vehicles. I welcome recent progress in this area, and will continue to encourage the fitting of immobilisers as standard equipment.

The police scientific development branch of the Home Office is providing significant support in this area through its work on examining and testing the effectiveness of vehicle immobilisers, in conjunction with the motor manufacturers and the insurance industry, and through its technical input into the emerging British standards on vehicle immobilisers.

It is equally important that the security of vehicles already on the road should be upgraded and encouraging motorists to fit security devices, such as immobilisers, is a central feature of our extensive car crime prevention campaign, which is being continued this year to build on the success achieved in 1992.