§ Miss WiddecombeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what responses he has received to his letter to local authorities and chief constables of 15 October 1999 on the powers included in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998; if he plans any amendment to the Act in the light of the responses; if he will place the responses in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [134871]
§ Mr. StrawMy letter of 15 October 1999 was an informal request to chief executives and local authorities asking whether there was anything to be learned from their experiences in using provisions contained in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, and whether any good practice could be shared. I would not normally place copies of routine correspondence of this sort in the Library. As a result of that correspondence the Home Office and the Local Government Association jointly held 10 regional seminars to help spread good practice in using anti-social behaviour orders. The seminars also served as a consultation exercise for the issue of a model agreement, or protocol, for effective local co-operation in tackling anti-social behaviour. I launched this guidance on 28 June. Both the guidance and the seminars were well received, and indicated a widespread willingness to use anti-social behaviour orders.
We have given a commitment to review the operation of anti-social behaviour orders within two years of implementation. The review will start in the new year and its findings and recommendations will be published. We will decide whether it is necessary to make any amendments to the legislation once we have seen the research report.