§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of each of the CCTV schemes cited in his letter to hon. Members of 4 January; and what has been the reduction in the number of crimes in each case since the introduction of each scheme. [8239]
§ Mr. MacleanThe closed circuit television schemes cited are those in Newcastle upon Tyne, Swansea, Northampton, Gloucester and Bedford. None of these schemes was funded by the Home Office and details of their costs are not recorded centrally.
Local police forces have provided the following data:
Newcastle upon Tyne: The scheme became operational in December 1992. In the year before its installation, there were 12,400 recorded in the area covered by the cameras. In 1996, it is estimated that 7,000 crimes will be recordedSwansea: The system was installed in December 1994. In the 15 weeks before the system became operational, there were 1,544 instances of vehicle crime. In the 15 weeks after, there were 1,382 instances.263WGloucester: The system became operational in May 1993. After the cameras were installed, there was an 80 per cent. reduction in crimes of violence, a 78 per cent. reduction in commercial burglary and autocrime was virtually eradicated in car parks covered by CCTV.Bedford: The system became operational in May 1994. In November 1993, there were 325 recorded crimes in the area covered by the cameras. In November 1996, there were 186.Northampton: CCTV cameras have completely eradicated car crime in a local car park.