To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of crime in 1987 was accounted for by the theft of, or from, vehicles; and what measures he is taking to reduce auto crime.

In 1987, offences of theft of, and from, motor vehicles accounted for 26·9 per cent. of the total number of notifiable offences recorded by the police in England and Wales.Last November, the Home Office standing conference on crime prevention set up a working group to consider the prevention of car crime. Rover Group, which is represented on the working group, has offered to produce a thief-proof concept car, incorporating a range of the latest technology in car security, for display at this year's standing conference in December.Three parts of a British Standard on vehicle security (mechanical locking systems, security of in-car entertainment equipment, and window etching) have been published and further parts are due to be published shortly. We are seeking to have the British Standard adopted as a European Community directive.Our new crime prevention publicity campaign, launched last month, includes information on car crime and the scope for preventing it.