§ Mr. Charles KennedyTo ask the secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of farm watch and rural watch schemes(a) in each area and (b) in total; what 74W is the estimated average number of people involved in each scheme; what steps his Department takes to encourage individuals to join the schemes; and if he will make a statement. [29243]
§ Mr. McLeish[holding answer 19 February 1998]: Information obtained from individual police forces on the number of rural watch schemes operating is set out in the table:
Police forces Number Central Scotland Police 0 Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary Farm Watch 4 River Watch 1 Fife Constabulary 0 Grampian Police Farm Watch 44 Lothian and Borders Police Farm Watch 4 Horse Watch 2 Northern Constabulary Farm Watch 1 Rural Watch 2 Strathclyde Police Countryside Watch 1 Farm Watch 5 Horse Watch 1 Tayside Police Farm Watch 55 Glen Watch 9 Poacher Watch 2 Total 131 Estimates of the average number of people involved in these schemes are not available. Last year, the Scottish Office published the booklet 'Cultivating Crime Prevention in Rural Scotland' which encourages rural crime prevention generally and includes reference to Farm Watch.