§ 32. Siobhain McDonaghTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met local authority representatives to discuss initiatives to reduce offending rates in areas of high crime. [64381]
§ Mr. StrawAs a matter of course, Ministers and officials regularly meet representatives from a wide variety of interests, including local government. We have been grateful for the help given, for example, in the production of the guidance for statutory local crime and disorder partnerships, and in respect of anti-social behaviour orders which will come into force on 1 April 1999.
My Department recently commissioned "Reducing Neighbourhood Crime: a manual for action" from Crime Concern. It provides practical advice for local partners, including local authorities, representatives of which made a valuable contribution to its production.