27. Viscountess ASTORasked the Home Secretary the number of sexual offences committed against girls under 16 years in England and Wales for the last 12 months; and whether the figures show an increase or decrease over the previous 12 months?
§ Mr. CLYNESFigures are not yet available for the last 12 months or for 1930. The most recent figures of crimes against women and girls known to the police are those for 1929 which, with the corresponding figures for previous years, are set out on page 15 of the Criminal Statistics for 1929 (Cmd. 3853). The numbers of cases of indecent assaults on girls under 16 that were tried summarily by consent in 1928 and 1929 respectively were 989 and 949.
Viscountess ASTORSeeing the state of things, and seeing how bad things were even two years ago, would it not be wise to increase the number of women police throughout the country?
§ Mr. CLYNESThe force has been about doubled but the figures show a decline.
Viscountess ASTORIs it not true that there are a great many boroughs where there are no women police and that until the Home Office make it compulsory——[Interruption].
§ Mr. KIRKWOODHow would you like to be a woman policeman?