To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many acceptable behaviour contracts have been issued to young people drinking and behaving anti-socially in public in each of the last five years. (240539)

Data on acceptable behaviour contracts (ABCs) are not collected by the Home Office as they are voluntary agreements and therefore not suitable for central data collection. Surveys carried out by the Home Office of the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) indicated that over 25,000 ABCs have been made since October 2003.

A National Audit Office study in December 2006 found that such interventions were highly effective in combating antisocial behaviour. 65 per cent. of people stopped behaving antisocially after one intervention; 86 per cent. after two; and 93 per cent. after three.