To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the levels of crime against domestic property in (a) Cheshire and (b) Halton constituency in the latest period for which figures are available. (266808)

The relevant offences are those of burglary in a dwelling and criminal damage to a dwelling.

In 2007-08, there were 3,865 offences of burglary in a dwelling recorded in the Cheshire police force area. This represents a fall of 13 per cent. compared to 2006-07. There were 5,297 recorded offences of criminal damage to a dwelling in 2007-08, a fall of 14 per cent. compared to the previous year.

There were 581 offences of burglary in a dwelling recorded by the police in Halton in 2007-08, a fall of 12 per cent. over the previous year. There were 1,159 recorded offences of criminal damage to a dwelling, a fall of 8 per cent. over the previous year.