Crime Prevention Minister Norman Baker visited St Gabriel’s College, Camberwell, which is hosting an exhibition on prejudice created by the Anne Frank Trust.
The visit marked the launch of a report into the government’s progress in tackling hate crime.
Lewes Lib Dem MP and Crime Prevention Minister Norman Baker has welcomed the news that crime have fallen across Lewes District.
Current Local crime figures show that overall crime across Lewes District is down by 19% between June 2010 and December 2013.
Along with a reduction in violent crimes, there has also been a significant reduction of criminal damage and arson down by 32%, drug offences down by 26%, public order offences down by 26% and burglary down by 25%.
Norman says: “This is very welcome news indeed for my constituents in the Lewes District, to be able to know the crime is reducing across the area.”
“On paper sexual offences show an increase but this demonstrates people are more willing to report sexual crime in the wake of Jimmy Savile and I welcome more people willing to report.”
“As the Lib Dem Crime Prevention Minister, I am very pleased with the progress we are making in tackling crime.”
Local MP Norman Baker has launched a nationwide campaign, on behalf of the government to raise awareness of female genital mutilation (FGM) and bring an end to this brutal and traumatic practice. In his position as Crime Prevention Minister at the Home Office, Norman is in charge of government policy on the matter and is using his position to bring the issue to prominence.
February 5 was International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation, an event created to by the United Nations. To mark the occasion Ministers from across government departments have signed-up to the FGM declaration initiated by Norman to stop the practice of Female Genital Mutilation.
Practical steps mean that for the first time ever, it will be mandatory for all NHS acute hospitals to provide information on patients who have undergone FGM. This will be recorded centrally, helping to provid
e more information on the incidence and prevalence of FGM than ever before.
In addition, following the Home Office’s successful bid for funding from the European Commission, a new £100,000 FGM Community Engagement Initiative launches today. Charities can bid for up to £10,000 to carry out community engagement work aimed at raising awareness of FGM.
The government has also appointed a consortium of leading anti-FGM campaigners to deliver a global campaign to end FGM.
Norman says:
“There is no justification whatsoever for Female Genital Mutilation – it is child abuse and it is illegal.
“I am determined we do all we can to bring perpetrators to justice. The law in this country applies to absolutely everyone and political or cultural sensitivities must not get in the way of preventing, uncovering and prosecuting those who instigate and carry out FGM.
“We have launched a new FGM Community Engagement Initiative, we are continuing our work with the Director of Public Prosecutions to help secure convictions and we are part-funding a study into the prevalence of FGM in the UK.
“Last Wednesday, I chaired a cross government ministerial roundtable to discuss our work to end FGM and reaffirm our commitment to protecting the current and future generations of girls from this abuse.”
Gang-related violence has caused havoc in too many people’s lives, not least for gang members themselves.
As the Minister for Crime Prevention, I’m determined to do whatever I can to reduce violent crime and the fear of crime.
The good news is that overall in the last few years the number of violent crimes has fallen significantly, but we need to do more to crack the gang culture.
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