§ 7. Mr. Durantasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the percentage increase in the number of recorded crimes of violence against the person in 1976, as compared with 1966.
§ Mr. JohnIn England and Wales, the number of indictable offences of violence against the person recorded by the police increased by 191 per cent. in 1976 as compared with 1966.
§ Mr. DurantDoes the Minister agree that those figures are horrifying? Is he aware that in the Thames Valley area this year crime has increased by 26.4 per cent., as against only 9 per cent. in the Metropolitan district? Will the Home Secretary approach the Chief Constable of the Thames Valley police to see what special factors there are in that area? Does he agree that shortage of police, because of the pay situation, is one of the prime factors?
§ Mr. JohnMy right hon. Friend will approach the Chief Constable of the Thames Valley area, but nationally—these figures are provisional, and I do not put them forward with great certainty—the fact is that for the second and third quarters of this year there were rises of only 1 per cent. and 3 per cent., compared with last year's figures for crimes of violence.
§ Mr. CorbettCan my hon. Friend confirm that over the past 10 years there has been a big increase in both the detection and the coviction rate?
§ Mr. JohnThat is true. The detection rate and the cleared-up rate of such crimes is well over double that for other crimes, such as theft.
§ 8. Mr. Hal Millerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the percentage increases in crimes against the person has differed between urban and rural areas over the past five years.
§ Mr. JohnThe statistics of recorded crime that are centrally available are for each police area as a whole and do not distinguish between urban and rural areas. The comparison sought cannot therefore be made.
§ Mr. MillerDoes the Minister understand that there is widespread concern throughout an area such as my constituency, where the village policeman has disappeared and where there has been an increase in police strength in Redditch New Town? Will he take action to increase the establishment of the West Mercia constabulary?
§ Mr. JohnThere are two points here. First, I have made it clear that I am concerned with the rise in crimes of violence, and other crimes, too. No one likes the present explosion of crime which has occurred not only here but in the whole of the Western world. It is police strength that needs to be increased, not establishments. Establishments do not pound a beat.