§ Mr. Nigel EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps the Home Office is taking to reduce car crime, with particular reference to new initiatives taken within the last six months;
(2) what estimates the Home Office has regarding the likely incidence of car crime in 1994–95 and 1995–96;
(3) how many police hours were committed nationally to covering incidents of vehicle crime in each year since 1990;
(4) what was the estimated cost to British car owners of vehicle crime in each year since 1990.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe Home Office is continuing its car crime prevention campaign in 1994, with both media advertising and behind the scenes activities designed to reduce the opportunities for this type of crime.
In addition, the advisory committee on car crime prevention has now been brought under the auspices of the national board as a working group and continues to look at devising new ways of improving vehicle security. We are also continuing to promote the secured car parks initiative and I urged major car park operators to participate in the scheme when I met them on 2 February to discuss car park security.
It is not possible to estimate what the likely incidence of car crime will be in 1994–95 and 1995–96, but I am pleased to be able to report that vehicle crime as a whole went down by almost 2 per cent. in 1993. I hope that this downward trend will continue.
Information as to bow many police hours were committed nationally to covering incidents of car crime in each year since 1990 is not available.
Similarly, information as to the estimated cost of vehicle crime to British car owners over the same period is not available in the form requested. However, the British Crime Survey found that in 1991 the net losses to victims of all types of thefts involving cars was somewhere in the region of £775 million, excluding insurance and security costs.