| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Crime Figures (Kent)
3. Dr. Stephen Ladyman (South Thanet): If he will make a statement on the most recent crime figures for Kent. [103963]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. Charles Clarke): The latest figures, covering the 12 months to September 1999, will be published tomorrow. I hope that they will show continued strong performance in reducing crime in Kent.
Dr. Ladyman: I am grateful for that answer, and especially for the Government's recognition of Kent's status as the gateway to Europe, which places an additional burden of crime on the local police. However, is my hon. Friend aware that some senior policemen in Kent believe that the criminal networks set up to bootleg alcohol and tobacco are now involved in smuggling illegal immigrants, pornography and drugs into the country? One senior officer has likened that trade to the evolution of organised crime in the United States in the early days of prohibition.
Will my hon. Friend ensure that he continues to monitor crime figures in Kent? Will he also ensure that Kent police have the money needed to combat this very worrying threat?
Mr. Clarke:
I am aware of the issues raised by my hon. Friend, and I have discussed them with senior police officers in Kent. In fact, the other day I discussed those very matters--organised crime, smuggling and trafficking in people--with the Minister of State, Home Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche). We also discussed how those crimes impacted on the people of Kent.
My hon. Friend makes a good point. I assure him that we will keep the question of organised crime in Kent--the gateway to Europe--under close review.
Mr. Michael Howard (Folkestone and Hythe):
I share the Minister's hope that tomorrow's figures will show a further reduction in crime in Kent. Since 1994, crime in the county has reduced by 16 per cent. However, has the Minister had an opportunity to study last week's letter to the Home Secretary from the chairman of the Kent police authority? In it, she points out that the Home Secretary's decision on the funding of the radio project referred to in the previous question means that Kent police will face additional revenue costs of £3 million a year, and additional capital costs of more than £4 million a year. She says that that will have a damaging effect on future budgets for the Kent police, and on police manpower numbers.
What impact does the Minister expect the additional financial pressures on the Kent police exerted by the crimes described by the hon. Member for South Thanet (Dr. Ladyman) to have on the future course of crime in the county, and on the police's ability to combat it?
Mr. Clarke:
I have indeed seen the letter to which the right hon. and learned Gentleman refers. Given his experience, he will know that I have received similar letters from chairs of police authorities throughout the country and have discussed with delegations the
4. Mr. Piara S. Khabra (Ealing, Southall):
How much the Government are investing in CCTV systems in the current financial year. [103964]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. Charles Clarke):
The Government are investing £153 million over three years in the closed circuit television initiative. I am pleased to announce today a further 181 awards to a value of £34 million under the first round of the initiative, bringing the total funding allocated during the current financial year to just under £40 million for 217 schemes. Details of the approved schemes are available on the Home Office website. A further 137 schemes, with a potential value of £25 million, require further information or reassurance before approval can be given.
Mr. Khabra:
I am grateful to the Minister for his reply. May I also thank him for his support for the borough of Ealing's application? Two bids have been approved to install more cameras in my constituency. How effective is CCTV in the reduction of crime under the Government's programme? In what categories of crime has such reduction taken place, and which areas have benefited most?
Mr. Clarke:
I was delighted that the approvals that I mentioned earlier--including schemes from Southall town centre, Springbridge road and Acton town centre--bring investment in CCTV in my hon. Friend's constituency to a total value of £644,000. There is no doubt that CCTV reduces crime, especially in areas such as secure car parks, where individual reductions of up to 80 per cent. have been achieved, and on housing estates, where CCTV can make a material difference to security. There is no doubt that it has an impact; we are investing far more than ever before, and I am delighted that the programme is being established strongly throughout the country.
Mr. Jonathan Sayeed (Mid-Bedfordshire):
I hope that your cold gets better, Madam Speaker.
I am pleased that the Minister is funding CCTV in Labour constituencies, but why has the application by Ampthill in Mid-Bedfordshire been turned down in the past? Will he be funding it this time round?
Mr. Clarke:
I cannot immediately tell the hon. Gentleman why the application was turned down. However, two programmes were agreed today in the
Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):
Thank you very much.
Mr. Clarke:
I am glad to collect credits from wherever they come.
We have a detailed set of specifications on making CCTV work more effectively to ensure value for money. Where schemes have been turned down--in the hon. Gentleman's constituency, for example--the Home Office is committed to discussing with the local authorities and police ways of improving the scheme so that applications can be agreed in future. That applies to a number of schemes. I assure the hon. Gentleman that we are prepared to look closely at the scheme to which he referred and see what can be done.
5. Mrs. Helen Brinton (Peterborough):
What support and funding are available to community groups for (a) fighting crime and (b) working to improve the quality of life in their areas. [103965]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. Charles Clarke):
The Government are committed to promoting and developing community involvement and self-help as part of their overall aim of improving the quality of life in all communities. In support of that, the Government allocate funds to umbrella bodies that provide expert advice, support and training to local community groups to help strengthen the community sector infrastructure and fight crime. A number of projects are already being run by the crime and disorder reduction partnerships, including the reducing burglary initiative, targeted policing and closed circuit television.
Mrs. Brinton:
I welcome that reply, and my hon. Friend's clear commitment to making our communities safer. What does my hon. Friend have to say in praise of the Eastfield residents association? That part of my constituency was dubbed a war zone in the House two years ago, but the association has worked well to combat crime. In addition, how would he reply when the association says that local people can do only so much and that they would like some Government support?
Mr. Clarke:
My hon. Friend has told me about the work of that residents scheme, and I am happy to commend it. Active communities and tenants and residents associations make a massive difference in reducing crime in many communities. The thrust of our crime reduction partnerships under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 is to link with initiatives such as those taken in my hon. Friend's constituency and to bring resources to bear where they can make the greatest difference. In many crime reduction partnerships, community involvement makes a material difference in delivering results.
Mr. James Paice (South-East Cambridgeshire):
Will the Minister consider the work done in the city of Cambridge by the charity Wintercomfort? Will he
Mr. Clarke:
The hon. Gentleman knows that I cannot comment on the specifics of the case to which he refers, as that is a matter for the courts. I am, however, prepared to consider his substantive point about the impact of the court case on the charity involved and the means required for support, and I will listen to representations from the hon. Gentleman or from people from his constituency on how the strength of charity and community work can be maintained at a time of significant disruption.
Mr. Bruce Grocott (Telford):
I welcome all that my hon. Friend has said, but will he have a word with our mutual right hon. Friend, the Minister of State, Home Office, who, on a visit to Telford, saw the work of The Wrekin community safety partnership, which was set up in 1993 when there were not many such partnerships? The partnership has shown great strength in identifying local problems and solutions. Will my hon. Friend ensure that the best practice to be found among the partnerships is made widely available? We can all learn from each other.
Mr. Clarke:
I take that point. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State is sitting next to me and tells me that the scheme in The Wrekin is excellent. My hon. Friend the Member for Telford (Mr. Grocott) made the profound point that we must be much more effective in spreading knowledge of best practice in community schemes. We have set in motion a process that will make us far more effective in that area than we have been hitherto.
| Next Section
| Index | Home Page |