Cabinet Office Minister Lord Falconer was in York today to see the city's pioneering Truancy Watch scheme first hand.

Lord Falconer, who is the minister responsible for the Millennium Dome, joined York police's youth action officer, PC Jon Palmer, and Linda Soper, City of York Council's education social worker, on patrol around the city.

The scheme has already attracted national attention - Home Office Minister Charles Clark and George Anderson, who is responsible for policy on school attendance at the Department of Education, are previous visitors.

Local authorities and police officers from around the country have also sent representatives to study the scheme and learn from York's experiences.

Truancy Watch has yielded impressive results in the two years it has been running; crime committed by youths during school time in York is down by 67 per cent.

But PC Palmer said there was also a social aspect to the scheme.

"We pick up children with a lot of other problems, including domestic violence and bullying, which can then be addressed," he said.

Children who are picked up by the patrols are taken back to school or to a safe house.

Lord Falconer, whose visit was timed to highlight the launch of a new Home Office crime initiative next week, earlier met with staff of Safer York Partnership at their offices in North Street.

Updated: 11:43 Tuesday, February 27, 2001