§ Mr. Wray:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures have been taken since 1997 to address problems arising from gang culture; and what proposals he has to combat gang violence. [128095]
§ Paul Goggins:We are taking action to deal with gang-related offending where this is a problem. Initiatives such as the Manchester Multi-Agency Gang Strategy and similar community-based programmes in other areas use a multi-agency approach to deliver interventions targeted at gangs, gang culture and associated offending, while police operations, such as Operation Trident in London, are tackling the association between gang culture and gun crime.
We are also working to prevent young people's problematic involvement in gangs in the first place, in areas where this is an issue. For example, the Youth Inclusion Programme and Safer Schools Partnerships target those young people most at risk of offending to help them avoid problematic behaviours, including gang membership. And the new Positive Activities for Young People programme provides constructive diversionary activities during the school holidays for targeted at risk young people.