§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the South Shields constituency, the effects on South Shields of his Department's polices and actions since 2 May 1997. [153084]
§ 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 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 521W 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 South Shields constituency or the immediate locality:
Reduced Burglary Initiative
South Tyneside All Saints, South Shields were awarded £60,000 under Round One of the Reducing Burglary Initiative. Interventions include: Offender based strategies, use of mobile video recording system and electronic intruder detection measures; crime prevention measures, target hardening. Community based strategies.
Targeted Policing
Northumbria police in partnership with Tynesdale district council, local parish councils and the Northumberland Social Services and probation service were awarded £40,000 under the Targeted Policing Initiative for a project to develop an integrated strategy to tackle crime and disorder in rural towns and remote villages. The project will tackle both localised offending and crime resulting from travelling criminals. A local multi-agency safety group will develop intelligence about offenders and identify 'hot spots'. The project will employ a range of interventions including a mobile police station and the use of Closed Circuit Television.
CCTV
Under Round One of the Crime Reduction Programme's CCTV Initiative, South Tyneside Community Safety Board were awarded around £121,000 for the South Tyneside District Hospital CCTV Project. The project updated and extended the CCTV coverage of South Tyneside District Hospital including the car parks and the staff residential blocks, with the aim of reducing fear of crime, car crime, criminal damage and burglary.
Neighbourhood Warden Schemes
South Tyneside Metropolitan borough council have been awarded £228,000 until 2002–03 for a scheme covering central and eastern Jarrow and western South Shields. The project started on 4 December 2000.
Youth Offending Teams (YOT's)
The local YOT is involved in a number of schemes including establishing restorative approaches and working with victims of crime and has held successful restorative conferences. 35 per cent. of reparation orders/requirements have included an element of direct reparation to victims. There is a very successful project in Biddick Hall where 22 young people involved in serious youth disorder did reparation in the same area repairing damage to a primary school, cleaning off graffiti etc. It has been very well received by local community/residents (and by parents of young people). It is too early to say definitively what the effects of these actions are on re-offending and reducing levels of youth crime. Recent police figures have however led to some concern about youth disorder. In relation to this, there has recently been a seminar funded and facilitated by Government Office for the North East, and in response to the concern the YOT will be taking appropriate action within the context of a proposed youth disorder strategy.
522WMore generally, all of the policies of the Home Office will impact on the residents of South Shields 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).