§ Mr. Ian StewartTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, including statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Eccles constituency, the effects on Eccles of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [157286]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe Home Office is working to build a safe, just and tolerant society in which the rights and responsibilities of individuals, families and communities are properly balanced, and the protection and security of the public are maintained. Detailed information on the impact of Home Office policies across the full range of responsibilities is set out in Home Office Annual Reports. A copy of the most recent report, Home Office Annual Report 2000–01, is available in the Library. Information on recorded crime and policing is also published. "Recorded Crime England and Wales, 12 months to September 2000" and "Police Service Strength England and Wales, 30 September 2000" can be found in the Library. The recorded crime statistics include information on recorded crime by Basic Command Unit and Crime and Disorder partnerships.
The impact of Home Office policies and actions is not normally examined by constituency and the statistics which the Department collects, such as recorded crime, cannot be matched in the way requested although set out are examples relating to the Eccles constituency or the immediate locality:
Reducing Burglary Initiative
Greater Manchester police in partnership with Salford city council were awarded approximately £253,000 for two schemes under round 2 of the Reducing Burglary Initiative.
567WOne scheme for Pendlebury, Swinton Town Center, Valley Estate and Swinton Park was awarded nearly £80,000. The main interventions proposed are target hardening; community mobilisation; targeted policing and property marking.
One scheme covering Peel Green, Patricroft, Salford was awarded £173,000. The main interventions proposed are target hardening; a landlord accreditation service; community mobilisation and environmental resistance.
Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)
Salford city council has one scheme, potentially worth over £411,000, shortlisted for further consideration under round 2 of the CCTV Initiative. The scheme would cover parts of the Salford and Eccles constituencies.
Youth Offending
Eccles is covered by the Salford Youth Offending Team (YOT). While crime and fear of crime remain the most significant issue for communities, considerable progress has been made in the City during the past year, with the largest reduction of recorded crime within all of Greater Manchester. Total recorded crime reduced by 5.4 per cent, including a reduction in domestic burglary of 19 per cent., other burglary of 13 per cent. and a reduction in vehicle crime of 7 per cent. These figures indicate the success of a range of initiatives, such as the burglary reduction programmes. They reflect the determination of the partnership to continue in its multi-agency approach to the reduction of crime.
The Salford Youth Inclusion Project (YIP) is located in Seedley/Langworthy. The project started in July 2000 and receives up to £75,000 a year under the Youth Inclusion Programme. The objectives of YIP, administered by the Youth Justice Board are to: reduce arrest rates in the target group by 60 per cent.; reduce recorded crime in the area by 30 per cent. and achieve at least 1–3 reduction in truancy and exclusions among the target young people. YIPs provide targeted assistance to a core group of 13 to 16-year-olds most at risk of offending and school exclusion.
The Salford YIP is already working with 15–20 young people in this high-risk target group and over 60 young people more generally. The Salford YIP offers young people a robust assessment of their personal and training needs and an individually tailored package of assistance. This may include: mentoring; sports activity; arts and craft sessions themed around consequences of offending behaviour; education and training and pre-employment support and social skills development and health sessions.
The Salford YIP has successfully supported three of the 10 young people identified at most risk, into employment. A further two have taken up part-time employment. Five of the eight most persistent truants in the area have returned to school and a further group of at risk young people have taken up volunteering opportunities, continued into further education or joined the Army Cadets.
More generally, all of the policies of the Home Office will impact on the residents of Eccles to a greater or lesser extent. For example:
376 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships have been established;racial harassment and racially motivated crimes have been made criminal offences by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998;568Wthe asylum backlog has been cut from 103,495 at the end of January 2000 to 49,690 by the end of February 2001; andgood progress is being made in reducing the incidence of fire deaths in England and Wales. They have dropped from 605 in 1997 to 534 in 1999.Information on the Home Office and its policies is also published on its website www.homeoffice.gov.uk.