HC Deb 11 July 2000 vol 353 c510W
Mr. Darvill

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the publication of crime statistics to assist comparison of performance at a local level. [130291]

Mr. Straw

The next publication of crime statistics is due on July 18. As in January, an Annexe to the publication will give crime and detection figures for police Basic Command Units for six types of crime which are of particular public concern. But, for the first time, my Department will be publishing these crime figures in relation to Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships. The partnership data will be published in 13 groups, or 'families', of partnerships. The families draw together areas with similar policing and crime reduction characteristics to assist comparison between the areas. There are 376 partnerships. The Home Office will today publish a Policing and Reducing Crime Unit Briefing Note to provide a description of how the family groups have been devised, which includes the list of the family groups. I have placed a copy of this briefing note in the Library.