To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action the Government has taken to reduce crime related to drunkenness.

holding answer 18 February 2008

The Government take the issue of crime and antisocial behaviour committed by individuals when drunk very seriously. The Government have taken a number of actions in order to combat this, including introducing the Tackling Violent Crime Programme (TVCP) which was launched in November 2004. Additionally, local areas are now required to address alcohol-related issues within their Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRP) strategies. The Government have produced guidance to assist local areas in producing their strategies, and the Government offices for the regions are coordinating this requirement within their specific region. The Government have also recently published 'A practical guide for dealing with alcohol related problems' which is aimed at local alcohol practitioners and gives advice about the tools and powers available to tackle alcohol related crime.

The Government are working to improve the way alcohol related offenders are dealt with in custody and in the community. The National Offender Management Service is taking this work forward which includes; the publication of an alcohol pack for offenders under probation supervision, disseminating across the National Probation Service learning points from alcohol best practice projects, as well as work to develop two alcohol treatment programmes for prisons.

Additionally, the Government have funded four alcohol arrest referral pilots. These schemes aim to offer custody based interventions from a trained worker in order to reduce re-offending. These pilots will be rolled out to 10 new areas, which will ensure that the under 18's will also benefit from these interventions.