Labour have announced radical new plans to cut red tape and give the police more freedom to get on with the job of reducing crime - by giving local people more information and a bigger say in how their neighbourhood is policed.

The new plans also give - for the first time - key rights and minimum standards of service that people can expect from their local police force.

The PM said that the new policing Green Paper would "clear the decks" and cut down on bureaucracy so officers could spend more time tackling crime and he repeated a warning that young people carrying knives would be prosecuted.

The PM added -

"We are clearing the decks, cutting the red tape, cutting back on bureaucracy, making it possible for policemen and women to spend far more time on the beat answering people's inquiries, in touch with local communities - a visible presence on the beat so that more and more people will see a policeman or woman there and able to help them."

The announcement comes as the British Crime Survey shows that Labour has exceeded its aim to reduce all crime by 15 per cent since 2002/03, with an overall reduction of 18 per cent, and that the risk of being a victim of crime is at the lowest level ever recorded.

The annual crime statistics report indicates that the risk of being a victim of crime has fallen from 24% to 22%, the lowest level recorded since the crime survey first began in 1981.

Decreases were recorded in nearly every category, including:

· violent crime down 12% according to the BCS.
· police recorded sex offences down 7% .
· vandalism down 10% according to the BCS .
· police recorded 'violence against a person' down 8% .
· vehicle-related thefts down 11% according to the BCS.
· home burglaries reported to police down 4%.

Labour’s Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said 'Three years ago we set ourselves the tough challenge to reduce all crime by 15%,' she said. 'I'm extremely pleased that today’s figures show that we have exceeded this, with an overall crime reduction of 18%.'

However, while these figures show good progress, she said there is still more to be done.
Although violent crime has fallen substantially, 'knives are still being used in the most serious violent incidents.

'The Youth Crime Action Plan published this week is just one part of a comprehensive package of tough enforcement and intensive prevention measures we have put in place to tackle violent crime wherever it occurs.'