§ Mr. Dempseyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many murders were committed during each of the last ten years in Scotland; and how many persons were convicted on charges of murder or capital murder during the same period.
§ Mr. MaclayThe available information is shown in the table below:
Year Number of cases of apparent murder made known to the police* Number of persons convicted on charges of murder or capital murder 1951 … 9 1 1952 … 13 3 1953 … 18 3 1954 … 14 3 1955 … 11 1 1956 … 13 1 1957 … 12 2 1958 … 18 6 1959 … 13 6 1960 … 16 5 * NOTE (1) An act by which two or more persons are killed at the same time, or a succession of immediately consecutive acts, comprising one complete incident in which more than one person was killed, is recorded as one case of murder. (2) The figures in the second column relate only to persons convicted on charges of murder or capital murder. They do not include persons acquitted or proceeded against on a lesser charge such as culpable homicide, or found to be insane in bar of trial; or cases where, after investigation, the criminal authorities decided not to institute proceedings.