HC Deb 09 July 1981 vol 8 cc572-3
12. Mr. Teddy Taylor

Secretary of State for the Home Department by what percentage crimes of violence have increased since 1960.

Mr. Mayhew

The total number of offences of violence against the person recorded by the police in England and Wales in 1980 was over 500 per cent. higher than the number recorded in 1960. That increase corresponds to an average annual rise in those recorded offences of about 10 per cent. a year. The rate of increase on the more serious offences, such as wounding and endangering life, was rather less—4 per cent. a year.

Mr. Taylor

Is not that one of the most frightening and alarming statistics presented by the Government in recent times? Does the Minister consider that present policies and deterrents are likely to contain or reverse that trend? Has he any plans to reverse the frightening increase in the number of crimes of violence involving the use of firearms?

Mr. Mayhew

As my hon. Friend says, that is a deplorable increase. It is a measure of the decline in the respect for law that has taken place over the last 20 years. There is some hope for encouragement in the statistics in that the number of offences of violence against the person recorded in 1980 was only 2 per cent. higher than in 1979, whereas the average over the past 20 years has been an increase of 10 per cent. That slowing down appears to be reflected in the first quarter of this year. We may reasonably suppose that that reflects what we have done in Government to increase the numbers of police and to increase their morale.

Mr. Freud

Will the Minister tell the house what is the increase in non-violent crimes?

Mr. Mayhew

I regret that I cannot do so without notice. I do not doubt that the number has risen—[Interruption.] It would be a great help if, from the Opposition Benches, we had greater support for the efforts of the Government in the last two years to increase respect for the law, to encourage the police and to give them every support in the dangerous task that we ask them to do.

Sir Bernard Braine

Does not my hon. and learned Friend agree that an increasing proportion of violent and anti-social offences are being committed by juveniles who become the vicious criminals of tomorrow? Is it the Government's intention at an early stage to introduce legislation to give the courts powers to inflict heavy fines on the parents of youngsters convicted of such crimes? Does he not agree that that might make a contribution to making people sit up and take notice that law and order are increasingly in danger?

Mr. Mayhew

I agree with what my hon. Friend has said about the importance of parental responsibility for the actions of their children. I believe that that has been increasingly neglected recently. The answer to my hon. Friend's question is "Yes". We hope at an early stage to introduce legislation that will bring home to parents in the manner suggested by my hon. Friend that they have a real responsibility that they will be made to fulfil.