§ Caroline FlintTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to Don Valley constituency, the effects on Doncaster of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [153522]
§ 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 in 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 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, 700W cannot be matched in the way requested although set out are examples relating to the Don Valley constituency or the immediate locality:
Targeted Policing Initiative
A project in conjunction with forces in Derbyshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, south Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and west Midlands to tackle distraction burglary has been awarded £168,000.
Reducing Burglary Initiative
Approximately £32,000 was awarded to a project in Edlington, Doncaster under round two of the Reducing Burglary Initiative. South Yorkshire Police in partnership with Doncaster Crime and Disorder Partnership are working on interventions that include: appointment of a project co-ordinator, target hardening, high profile media campaign, neighbourhood watch and property marking scheme.
Around £399,000 has been awarded under round three of the initiative to allow south Yorkshire police in partnership with the Doncaster Crime and Disorder Partnership to concentrate on Doncaster's burglary "hotspots". Interventions include: supervision of prolific offenders, Neighbourhood Watch development, improved home security for victims and media and marketing campaigns.
Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)
Under round one of the CCTV Initiative the Safer Sheffield Steering Group submitted two bids covering Sheffield's town centre and the Don Valley area, with a combined value of over £2 million. The two Sheffield Wide Imaging Switching Scheme (SWISS) bids are being considered together. So far £725,000 has been awarded for the system to be piloted in the town centre. When this trial has been evaluated a decision on the remaining funding will be taken.
More generally, all of the policies of the Home Office will impact on the residents of Don Valley 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; and 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.