David Blunkett, home secretary, said: "Security is the key to everything we are doing as a department. From the international stage combating threats from terrorists and organised criminal gangs to ridding the local streets of yobs, our plans make people's lives safer and more secure.
"By building a safer society we are strengthening communities, making them more confident and better able to take on the responsibility for their own lives and well-being. In this way we are able to build confidence and reduce fear, including fear of difference and change.
"We will invest in communities and families to help restore a culture of respect and responsibility."
Party Response: Liberal Democrats
Mark Oaten MP said: “It's not the liberal reforms of the 1960s but the legacy of Thatcher's 1980s that Blair should be worried about. The Prime Minister is right to want to build a more cohesive and respectful society, but wrong to think that he can do so through the criminal law alone."
Party Response: Conservative
James Paice MP shadow home affairs spokesman, said: "It is quite unbelievable that there has been nearly one announcement a week from this government on crime and still violent crime, gun crime and anti-social behaviour is on the rise. The truth is, they have run out of ideas. A Conservative government would recruit an extra 40,000 police officers to combat street crime and target those who are making others' lives hell. That's the kind of quantum leap that is needed. Anything else is merely a headline grabbing initiative adding to all the others we have seen more than enough of recently . "
"What we need to remember is that young people are actually one of the largest group who are the victims of crime.
"The government's 'crack down' on anti-social behaviour, including measures such as curfews, will only serve to alienate young people from their community and the police, whilst doing little to improve the safety of young people or the public at large. Young people are becoming political scapegoats for the problems in today's society, especially around crime, anti-social behaviour and issues like binge drinking.
"The government must start properly consulting and listening to the views of young people on issues like this, which directly impact on them.
"But they failed to take into account the views of young people in the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill and they have failed again today. Young people can be part of the solution if the government, parliamentarians and the community will stop stereotyping and start to listen.
"We welcome the fact that the government has finally recognised the importance of investing in more facilities for young people. But this must be part of a comprehensive package of services for young people, with youth services, Connexions, the voluntary sector and young people themselves working together to achieve real gain for young people.
"The government shouldn't talk about valuing young people and giving them extra services on the one hand if they are also helping to stir up the negative image of young people on the other. Only by engaging and actively involving young people in society can we start to build more cohesive, safer communities."
Forum Response: Institute of Directors
Richard Wilson, head of business policy at the Institute of Directors, said: "All too often crime is seen as something that happens just to individuals. In fact, it can also impact on businesses.
"Surveys of IoD members have shown that many businesses are hurt by criminal behaviour, including vandalism,
theft and graffiti. Consequently, the IoD welcomes the government's commitment to retain police numbers at 138,000 - we need more policemen on the streets tackling and deterring crime.
"However, the government needs to go much further: the business community wants to see more policemen and policewomen, the rigorous enforcement of non-custodial sentences (such as fines) and a crack down on yobbish behaviour.
"Unless order reigns in a given community, businesses will not thrive, consumers will suffer and unemployment will be greater than it needs to be."
Forum Response: Alcohol Concern
A spokesman for Alcohol Concern said: "Alcohol Concern very much welcomes this crackdown as a sign of the government's determination to reduce the incidence of alcohol-related crime and disorder, which blights so many communities.
"It is extremely important that the authorities and the public alike are aware of the staggering impact alcohol misuse makes on huge numbers of individuals, and their communities, around the country, as well the massive toll on our public services, not least the police.
"However, such an emphasis on law enforcement will only be effective if it is backed up with a similar level of commitment to tackling the root causes of alcohol-misuse and the criminal and anti-social behaviour that is associated with it.
"The home secretary mentions the importance of drug treatment in reducing crime, but says nothing about the need for new resources to bolster alcohol treatment - which is currently less well-resourced and vastly more over-subscribed than drug treatment. The government must address this as a priority.
"Equally, we look to the government quickly to follow through on some of the important measures included in its Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England, published in March.
"In particular, a strictly adhered to Code of Conduct for the alcohol industry is essential. The industry should adopt as a core principle a commitment to limit the individual and social harms that result from, and get exacerbated by, their products.
"Without the swift implementation of these measures, the commitment to enforcement will amount to little more than grandstanding."
Forum Response: Association of Chief Police Officers
Chris Fox, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers said: “ACPO are delighted to see new funds for neighbourhood policing and hope this will give local Chief Constables the opportunity to use the money in a flexible way to combat local problems, target the worst offenders, build the confidence of local communities and reduce the fear of crime.
“We support the need for local engagement and a direction for policing. However, the neighbourhood, district and Police Authority tiers of accountability are a cause for concern and need to kept as simple and effective as possible, to ensure that the modern police force is responsive to the local needs of the community. We must also remember that many neighbourhood problems are caused by organised or travelling criminals. Police must have sufficient strategic control to combat all types of criminality.
“We hope to see a move towards a police service that’s locally responsive where proper devolution occurs from Home Office to Force, and Force to neighbourhood.
“The public need to know who is responsible for policing their area and that is the Chief Constable who should be accountable and responsible for local performance.”
