§ Ms BuckTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, including individual statistical information relating as directly as possible to the constituency, the effect upon Regent's Park and Kensington, North of his Department's policies since May 1997. [155351]
§ 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 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 Regent's Park and Kensington, North constituency or the immediate locality:
Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea was awarded £117,000 for a six-camera system covering two residential areas in North Kensington, Swinbrook estate and St. Quintin Park The scheme aims to reduce incidents of assault, criminal damage and vehicle crime on both estates.
Youth Offending
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) Youth Offending Team (YOT) covers the entire borough. Its aim is to reduce offending by children and young people aged 10–17. During 2000–01 the YOT dealt with 170 new case This represents approximately one in 70 of the youth population. The borough attributes its apparently low offer ding rate to the success of partnership arrangements aimed at reducing crime including the YOT, as well as the excellence of its Youth Service and Social Services Departments (as evidenced by recent Ofsted and Joint Review inspections). Robbery, burglary and violent 597W offences are a priority for the YOT and its partners for 2001–02. The Youth Justice Plan contains objectives to develop intensive supervision programmes for persistent young offenders, develop an anger management programme and to share intelligence with the Police Service in relation to the most prolific young offenders in the Royal borough.
The YOT contracts with the Divert Trust for the delivery of a mentoring scheme. This scheme provides positive adult role models for young offenders. 17 volunteers from RBKC are currently on the scheme. RPS Rainer have been contracted to provide a bail supervision service aimed at reducing offending on bail as well as decreasing non-attendance at court. The YOT is part of the Royal borough's Community Safety Strategy and has specific targets to meet around early intervention in work, support and guidance for parents of young offenders and the development of an assessment framework. The RBKC YOT piloted the new assessment framework called ASSET. The team continues to be part of the research programme investigating the efficacy of ASSET. The YOT places a particular emphasis on early intervention. During 2000–01, 70 per cent. of young offenders given a Final Warning took part in a rehabilitation programme, (despite the fact that attendance is voluntary). A sample of 50 cases showed only five occurrences of re-offending. This re-offending rate is lower than the previous cautioning rate. A course for young people at risk of offending or school exclusion called "Chance to Change" is run annually. Last year only one of 12 attendees subsequently re-offended.
In addition to statutory community orders, the YOT operates a groupwork programme for male and female offenders (separately), aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour and improving life skills. The YOT also operates a Youth Inclusion Programme to in the north of the borough aimed at providing an intensive programme for the 50 young people in the area most at risk from offending. This programme is run in partnership with the Royal borough's Youth Service. The YOT has operated as a catalyst for developing joint work within partner agencies. Links with the voluntary sector have been strengthened and the incorporation of a victim perspective has brought a whole new dimension to youth justice interventions.
More generally, all of the policies of the Home Office will impact on the residents of Regent's Park and Kensington, North to a great 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; 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.