§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to combat gang violence and the gang culture in young people(a) in Coventry and (b) in the UK. [28883]
§ Mr. Denham[holding answer 21 January 2002]: Reducing all aspects of youth crime, including gang violence where this occurs, is a key priority within the Government's crime reduction programme. Our approach in all areas is to support the police, crime reduction partnerships and the Youth Offending Teams in developing effective local solutions. In addition, we have introduced a wide programme across Government including Youth Inclusion Programmes and Summer Splash schemes.
The Youth Inclusion Programme in Coventry includes organised intensive workshops and group discussions about group/peers behaviour, designed to provide young people with opportunity to voice their concerns and experiences of gang culture.