§ 2.35 p.m.
§ THE EARL OF LONGFORDMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government to state the number of indictable offences known to the police in England and Wales in 1960, divided according to the main categories of offence, and to indicate how these numbers compare with those for 1959.]
EARL BATHURSTMy Lords, the total number of indictable offences known to the police in England and Wales in 1960 was 743,714; this is 10 per cent. higher than the 1959 figure. The figures for the main offence categories are as follows:
These figures, my Lords, are provisional.
- Larceny: 489,258—an increase of 10 per cent. over 1959;
- Breaking and entering: 151,378—an increase of 13 per cent. over 1959:
- Receiving: 11,696—an increase of 14 per cent. over 1959;
- Fraud and false pretences: 36,049—an increase of 6 per cent. over 1959;
- Sexual offences: 19,937—very slightly fewer than in 1959;
- Violence against the person: 15,759— an increase of 14 per cent. over 1959;
- Other offences: 19,637—an increase of 12 per cent. over 1959.
§ THE EARL OF LONGFORDMy Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for letting us have those figures so promptly. I am sure that they will be useful in the 1054 debate. I think the noble Earl will agree that they represent a very grave trend.