| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Crime (Retail Premises)
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place to reduce crime against retail premises; and if he will make a statement. [10244]
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 22 January 1996]: There are many measures in place to reduce retail crime. The retail action group, an associate group of the Home Office crime prevention agency board, has produced booklets for retailers on preventing burglary, robbery, and violence to staff; further guidance on the prevention of customer theft, and external fraud, and on making an arrest will be published later this year. The group is also looking at ways of identifying and promulgating best practice, and considering the uses of technology in crime prevention.
The use of closed circuit television can make a significant contribution to reducing crime against retail premises, especially when it forms part of a package of crime prevention measures. The Home Office has helped to spread the use of CCTV through the publication of guidance on its use, and through last year's CCTV challenge competition in which the majority of successful bids were from partnerships which wished to install security cameras in shopping centres and high streets in town centres around the country. A further CCTV competition in which £15 million will be available is to be held this year, and it is likely that shopping areas will again be major beneficiaries.
The British Retail Consortium is making a valuable contribution through the programme of work being pursued by the retail crime initiative. This initiative, which aims to develop the retail perspective in inter-agency crime prevention initiatives, is an important and valuable way of raising the general awareness of retail and town centre crime and of encouraging retailers to work together to beat crime.
The projects carried forward by local partnerships, business and shop watch schemes, ring round schemes, police advice on the part that building design can play in preventing crime, as well as the numerous individual police force initiatives being pursued across the country all contribute to retail crime prevention. The safer cities programme has also funded a number of schemes aimed at improving the security of retail premises.
The recently published Home Office commercial victimisation survey singles out for the first time the effect of crime on commercial victims, and we are continuing to analyse the data collected so that retailers, the police and others can target their crime prevention initiatives to best effect.
The Home Office was represented on the Health and Safety Executive committee which last year published guidance for employers on the prevention of violence to retail staff in the workplace; and we also contributed to
23 Jan 1996 : Column: 122
the funding of a non-profit-making video for retailers on the prevention of customer theft, which was produced by Compass Vision Ltd.
Mr. Tony Banks:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the policing costs associated with the annual conferences of the (a) Liberal Democrats, (b) Conservative and (c) Labour parties; and what amounts were claimed by each party from central funds for security costs. [10246]
Mr. Maclean
[holding answer 22 January 1996]: I understand from the forces involved that the latest estimated additional costs of policing the 1995 party conferences are:
Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what co-ordinated action police forces are taking to provide adequate mechanisms for rough sleepers and similar vulnerable people to report physical attacks. [9971]
Mr. Maclean
[holding answer 22 January 1996]: The Government's consultation paper "Rough Sleepers Initiative: Future Plans" makes it clear that the police aim to provide the same quality of service to the homeless as to all other victims of crime, and in doing so should have regard to the special needs and vulnerability of homeless people. It is for individual chief officers, though, to decide the most suitable approach locally.
Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what costs his Department and executive agencies have incurred as a result of withdrawing from contracts under which mobile phones are provided; and if he will list the companies concerned. [9751]
Mr. Howard
[holding answer 17 January 1996]: Arrangements for the procurement of mobile telephones in my Department are devolved to executive agencies and dispersed business units and no central records are kept. I am aware of agreements for four individual mobile telephones which have been terminated. The cost to my Department was about £145. The companies involved were Cellcom and People's Phone.
Mr. Parry:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) killings and (b) woundings have taken place in Toxteth over the past year to the most recent available date; and if he will make a statement. [10467]
23 Jan 1996 : Column: 123
Mr. Maclean
[holding answer 22 January 1996]: This information is not collected centrally.
Mr. Andrew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent on external consultants in the tendering process of the private finance initiative in each year since its introduction (a) in real terms and (b) in cash terms disaggregated by (i) legal fees, (ii) publicity costs, (iii) accountancy fees and (iv) management consultancy fees. [10955]
Mr. Howard
[holding answer 22 January 1996]: The amount spent on external consultants in the tendering process since the introduction of private finance initiative is as follows:
(a) In real terms: applying the GDP deflator to the cash totals in (b) below, costs are equivalent (1995-96 prices) to:
23 Jan 1996 : Column: 124
(a) Liberal Democrats (Strathclyde Police)--Nil
Finalised claims for security costs incurred by the political parties at these conferences have not yet been received.
(b) Conservative (Lancashire Constabulary)--£1 million
(c) Labour (Sussex Police)--£29.029
| 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27,740 | 421,170 | 1,381,448 | |
| (b) In cash terms: | |||
| Legal fees | 4,500 | 186,450 | 537,128 |
| Publicity costs | -- | -- | -- |
| Accountancy fees | 22,000 | 135,834 | 260,901 |
| Management consultancy | -- | 87,616 | 583,419 |
| Totals | 26,500 | 409,900 | 1,381,448 |
Mr. Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what have been the running costs relating to the tendering process of the private finance initiative in each year since its introduction (a) in real terms and (b) in cash terms disaggregated by (i) staff costs, (ii) information technology and (iii) other costs. [10956]
Mr. Howard
[holding answer 22 January 1996]: The information requested is not separately recorded.
23 Jan 1996 : Column: 123
23 Jan 1996 : Column: 125
Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how often the Committee on the Co-ordination and Presentation of Government Policy has met. [10022]
The Deputy Prime Minister:
"Questions of Procedure for Ministers" makes it clear that information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet or Cabinet Committees is not normally made public.
Mr. Win Griffiths:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what changes have taken place in his responsibilities over the last four years; and what impact this has had on the running costs of his Department.[10023]
Mr. Freeman:
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster's ministerial responsibilities in December 1992 were as follows:
On 1 April 1993 financial provision for the Prime Minister's Office, the Office of Parliamentary Counsel, support to the Whips and minor other functions were transferred to the Cabinet Office "other services" vote. This reduced the OPSS annual running costs by £15.5 million.
23 Jan 1996 : Column: 126
On 1 April 1995 my predecessor took over responsibility for civil service pensions and civil service pay and conditions, including the senior civil service. These responsibilities were transferred by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, following HM Treasury's fundamental expenditure review, and strengthened my civil service efficiency and effectiveness remit. The effect of these additional responsibilities serve to increase the OPSS annual running costs by some £13 million.
These responsibilities were carried out by the Cabinet Office, Office of Public Service and Science. The estimated annual running costs associated with these responsibilities in 1992-93 was £96 million.
The discharge on a day-to-day basis of the responsibilities of Minister for the Civil Service; overseeing progress and development of the citizens charter initiative, the next steps programme, the efficiency and effectiveness of the civil service and the market-testing programme; responsibility for the Office of Science and Technology which, in addition to responsibility for Government policy on science and technology, is responsible for the research councils; and ministerial responsibility for Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |