Policing Policies
Philip Dunne questions the Government about its commitment to reducing retail crime following the withdrawal of funding for action against business crime.
Mr. Philip Dunne (Ludlow) (Con): Crime reduction partnerships are making significant progress across the country in reducing the impact of retail crime-assaults on staff and against businesses themselves. What priority is the Minister's Department giving to this issue since it has withdrawn all funding for action against business crime?
Mr. Coaker: As the hon. Gentleman will know, the funding for action against business crime was reduced a number of years ago. It was only ever initiated as a way of trying to encourage local crime and disorder reduction partnerships, where appropriate, to set up partnerships with businesses, and they have been extremely successful. We want to ensure that retail crime and business crime is taken seriously. I do not know what it is like in the hon. Gentleman's constituency, but in my constituency business is part of the CDRP, works well with local policing and is a priority for the neighbourhood policing team. We want to ensure that that level of priority is available to all areas and all businesses across the country.
