§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 8 January 2002,Official Report, column 778W, what progress has been made in meeting the crime reduction target. [30122]
§ Mr. DenhamNational crime reduction targets are: to reduce vehicle crime by 30 per cent, by 2004, and, by 2005, to reduce domestic burglary by 25 per cent, and robbery in our principal cities by 14 per cent.
The latest published recorded crime statistics show that in the 12 months to March 2001, thefts of and from vehicles had reduced to 968,447 offences, a reduction of 10.1 per cent, against the 1998–99 baseline; domestic burglary had reduced to 402,984, a reduction of 14.9 per cent; but robbery had increased to 68,447, a rise of 13 per cent.
We remain determined to reduce robbery rates, and the 12 month increase is half the 26 per cent, rise in the previous year. The robbery figures relate to the following police forces: Metropolitan Police Service, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, West Midlands and West Yorkshire.