§ MR. MACVEAGH (Down, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will issue a monthly Parliamentary Return setting forth the number of offences reported to the police in agrarian districts in England and Wales, classifying the various offences, and the number under every head in every county.
§ THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. COCHRANE, Ayrshire, N.)No, Sir. The system on which the statistics are prepared does not distinguish between agrarian and non-agrarian districts; and the collection of a monthly Return would involve an immense amount of trouble.
§ MR. MACVEAGHIs the hon. Gentleman aware that quarterly Returns are made as regards Ireland? Why not for England? Are there too many offences committed?
§ MR. COCHRANEIt is not thought necessary.
§ CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.)Is there a manufacturing department for crime in England?
§ MR. FLAVIN (Kerry, N.)Are we to understand that the number of crimes is so small that they are not worth returning. Where is the difficulty in giving the Return there?
§ MR. COCHRANEIt is absolutely unnecessary. The same conditions do not obtain in England and Ireland.
§ MR. FLAVINThat is your opinion, not our's.