The crime reduction campaign group SmartJustice is calling for more investment in community schemes after releasing figures that show that eight out of ten shoplifters are reconvicted within two years of being released from prison. The figures are being highlighted in the run up to Christmas when retail theft is at its peak.SmartJustice says shop theft costs retailers around 750 million pounds a year and adds to customers’ bills by around 100 pounds per household per year. Alcohol is the product most likely to be stolen at this time of year, followed by clothing, cosmetics, aftershave and perfume. Research shows that shoplifters follow traditional Christmas shopping patterns by targeting heavily promoted brand name products.

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Only a quarter of Government departments are taking full advantage of recent changes that allow them to make improved use of money, assets and other resources. A report today from the National Audit Office says there is still a tendency towards wasteful surges in spending in the final weeks of the financial year.In the report, Sir John Bourn, head of the NAO, says many departments have begun to take advantage of new flexibilities but they can do still more to improve the management of what they have so that they can deliver high quality public services. The changes to improve resource management include three-year budgets, greater flexibility to carry forward unspent funds into future years, resources linked to targets and the introduction of commercial style accounting and budgeting. Sir John says making full use of these tools requires a stepwise change in departmental behaviour.

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This document outlines the Governments vision on how to deliver services and information to the citizens over digital television and encourages departments and local authorities to evaluate the benefits of DTV. Over 45% of UK households now have DTV. It presents a wealth of opportunities to improve the way services are delivered and used. Effective use of the medium will give citizens the opportunity to communicate with government at a time and place of their choosing. A number of innovative DTV pilot projects are already operating, including those from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Department of Health and the Department of Work and Pensions. The new framework will promote learning from these examples and encourage others to build on them.The Framework is published by the Office of the e-Envoy and is available at: http://www.govtalk.gov.uk/policydocs/consult_subject_document.asp?docnum=833

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