§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, including statistical information relating as directly as possible to the constituency, the effect on the Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [153284]
§ 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 1999–2000", is available in the Library. The next annual report will be published shortly. 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 Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency or the immediate locality:
Reducing Burglary Initiative
Cleveland police, in partnership with Redcar and Cleveland borough council, received £12,300 under round two of the reducing burglary initiative, for a scheme in New Skelton, Cleveland. Interventions include target hardening of relatively modern local authority housing, which is predominantly occupied by single young females.
Targeted Policing Initiative
Closed circuit television (CCTV)—Redcar and Cleveland borough council, in partnership with Cleveland police, were awarded £114,200 for two schemes under round two of the CCTV initiative;
497WGuisborough CCTV partnership scheme was awarded £43,700 for a five-camera project covering Guisborough town centre. The town centre has problems of alcohol-related violence, shoplifting and vehicle crime. The scheme aims to reduce vehicle crime by 30 per cent. over three years and other types of crime by 10 per cent. in that time.
Saltburn CCTV partnership was awarded £70,500 for a six-camera project covering Saltburn town centre. The town centre has problems of alcohol-related crime, shoplifting and vehicle crime linked to drug dependency. The high level of anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime are recurring issues for the town. The scheme aims to reduce vehicle crime by 30 per cent. over three years and other types of crime by 10 per cent. in that time.
Neighbourhood Warden schemes
The William Sutton Trust was awarded £152,300 for a community wardens scheme in Middlesbrough South-West. The scheme will cover the Linthorpe estate in Saltersgill, and aims to reduce property crime, crimes against the person and car crime.
More generally, all of the policies of the Home Office will impact on the residents of Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East 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;the asylum backlog has been cut from 103,495 at the end of January 2000 to 66,195 by the end of December 2000;good 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.