HC Deb 14 October 2002 vol 390 cc466-7W
Mr. Cameron

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the responsibilities of Ministers in his Department relating to specific initiatives and in particular police areas in respect of street crime. [65218]

Mr. Denham

As Minister of State for crime reduction, policing and community safety and children and young people, I have specific responsibility for the street crime initiative within the Home Office.

I and nine other Ministers from across Government Departments were asked by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister (Mr. Blair) in May to act as "sponsor" Ministers for the 10 police force areas covered by the street crime initiatives. Their role is to work with the areas' street crime partnerships to ensure that local systems for dealing with street crime victims and offenders are working effectively.

The 10 street crime sponser Ministers are:

The right hon. Baroness Blackstone: Avon & Somerset

The right hon. Lord Falconer: Greater Manchester

Hazel Blears: Lancashire

John Denham: London

Yvette Cooper: Merseyside>

Ruth Kelly: Nottinghamshire

Barbara Roche: Thames Valley

The right hon. Lord Rooker: West Midlands

Stephen Twigg: South Yorkshire

Hilary Benn: West Yorkshire.