§ 34. Mr. Bill O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to give50W greater protection to older people in respect of (a) mugging, (b) burglary and (c) fear of crime; and if he will make a statement. [40296]
§ Mr. MichaelThe well-being of elderly people is a very high priority for this Government. Crimes against the elderly are particularly shocking, and we are determined to ensure that they are effectively addressed. Measures in the Crime and Disorder Bill will help achieve this goal.
Under the Bill, the police and local authorities will be required to form partnerships to identify and to reduce crime and disorder. These partnerships will bring together many agencies and, importantly, will entail the full involvement of the local community. Implementation will involve local consultation, and guidance which we plan to issue in July will include specific reference to the need for public meetings and other forms of consultation to be accessible to all members of the community, including the elderly. The partnerships will be required to conduct an audit of current levels of crime and disorder and to devise a strategy to tackle specific local problems, including those affecting the elderly.
Fortunately, crime risks for the elderly are lower than they might appear from media coverage. The British Crime Survey found that, across a wide range of offence categories, risks for those aged 16 to 29 were at least treble the risks for the elderly. For assault, young people were 37 times more at risk.