Crimes of Violence (Robbery)

HC Deb 18 June 1959 vol 607 cc624-5

10. Mr. E. Johnson

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the 1,583, 3,183, and 7,079 convictions in England and Wales for violence against the person in the years 1938, 1948, and 1957, respectively, were for robbery with violence; and what were the corresponding figures for 1958.

Mr. Renton

The number of convictions under Section 23 (1) of the Larceny Act, 1916 (which includes robbery with violence, robbery while armed, and robbery in company with others) in the years 1948, 1957 and 1958 was respectively 448, 547 and 781. I regret that the figure for 1938 is not available. These figures are included in the Criminal Statistics under the general heading of robbery and not in the category of crimes of violence against the person. The number of convictions of crimes of violence against the person in 1958 was 7,895.

Mr. Johnson

Do not these figures show that a new form of violence has now come into being, and does not that therefore make nonsense of the conclusions drawn by the Committee which reported on the question of corporal punishment in 1938?

Mr. Renton

I do not know what my hon. Friend means by a new form of violence. I do not think that there is anything new about the types of violence used. The position is that since flogging was abolished in 1948 there has been only one year in which robberies with violence have exceeded the 1948 level. That was last year, and there is no reason to think that the abolition of flogging in 1948 caused an increase in that particular crime of violence in 1958.

Mr. Johnson

Is my hon. and learned Friend aware that he is completely missing the point I am making? My point is that there were 1,583 crimes of violence against the person, in 1938. There are over 7,000 at present. That is the new form of violence to which I am calling attention. It is true that the crime of robbery with violence has not greatly increased in number, but the number of the other crimes has increased. What are they?

Mr. Renton

The main point is that this increase in crimes of violence generally rightly excites the anxiety of all of us, but my right hon. Friend has considered this matter carefully and he is convinced that the courts have adequate powers to deal with the matter and that they are using them effectively.