§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he attributes the increase in shoplifting from food supermarkets to trading methods or other causes.
§ Mr. JohnThe Home Office criminal statistics do not record separately the amount of shoplifting from food supermarkets, nor would I wish to speculate as to the causes of any increase.
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§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken, in the last 12 months, to implement the recommendations of his Department's working party's report on shoplifting, particularly the recommendation on methods of prevention.
§ Mr. JohnAction to implement the working party's recommendations on ways of preventing shoplifting is a matter for individual retailers.
§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the
Magistrates' courts pleading not guilty The Crown Court Pleading not guilty Shoplifting Number of persons pleading guilty or not guilty Number convicted Number acquitted Percentage pleading not guilty who were acquitted Number of persons pleading guilty or not guilty Number convicted Number acquitted Percentage pleading not guilty who were acquitted Under £5… 45,093 2,362 2,579 52 1,232 386 515 57 £5 and over 22,277 669 57 50 1,141 302 185 38 Figures are, however, available for 1975 and earlier years showing the total number of persons dealt with for shoplifting offences—including those who pleaded guilty—and the total number acquitted. These are given in the following tables, which exclude certain persons
PERSONS DEALT WITH SUMMARILY AT MAGISTRATES' COURTS FOR OFFENCES OF SHOPLIFTING—BY RESULT ENGLAND AND WALES Persons (000's) Convicted Acquitted Total Per cent. Per cent. 1966 … … 29.44 97 1.02 3 30.46 1967 … … 30.98 96 1.29 4 32.27 1968 … … 32.40 96 1.35 4 33.75 1969 … … 37.53 96 1.57 4 39.10 1970 … … 40.11 96 1.85 4 41.96 1971 … … 43.59 95 2.10 5 45.69 1972 … … 45.04 95 2.31 5 47.35 1973 … … 44.37 95 2.22 5 46.59 1974 … … 55.49 95 2.85 5 58.34 1975 … … 63.91 95 3.24 5 67.15
PERSONS COMMITTED FOR TRIAL AT THE CROWN COURT FOR OFFENCES OF SHOPLIFTING—BY RESULT ENGLAND AND WALES Persons(000's) Convicted Acquitted Total Per cent. Per cent. 1966 … … 0.18 64 0.10 36 0.28 1967 … … 0.19 67 0.09 33 0.29 1968 … … 0.28 70 0.12 30 0.40 1969 … … 0.36 64 0.20 36 0.56 1970 … … 0.48 68 0.22 32 0.70 1971 … … 0.66 67 0.32 33 0.98 1972 … … 0.88 68 0.42 32 1.29 1973 … … 0.93 64 0.53 36 1.45 1974 … … 1.17 68 0.56 32 1.72 1975 … … 1.65 69 0.74 31 2.39
§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now categorise separately in the statistics kept
588Wtotal number of shoplifting cases, for each of the last 10 years, which were tried (a) before magistrates' courts and (b) before juries; and if he will list, for the two categories, for each year, the total numbers convicted and acquitted and the numbers, in each case, convicted and acquitted expressed as a percentage of the total number of cases brought.
§ Mr. JohnFigures showing the number of persons pleading not guilty to shoplifting who were convicted or acquitted are available for 1975, but not for earlier years. These are as follows:
dealt with for shoplifting offences—including those who pleaded guilty—and the total number acquitted. These are given in the following tables, which exclude certain persons whose trial did not reach the plea stage:
by his Department figures for (a) shoplifting from supermarkets and (b) shoplifting from stores with serving staff.
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§ Mr. JohnNo. As the hon. Member has previously been told, the extra burden on the police of collecting more detailed statistics could not be justified.
§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received against the proposals in the Criminal Justice Bill, that people accused of shoplifting should be denied the right to trial by jury.
§ Mr. JohnAbout a dozen letters have been received since the Criminal Law Bill was published objecting to the proposal in the Bill—which has now been removed by an amendment at Committee Stage in another place—that thefts of property not exceeding £20 in value should be triable only in magistrates' courts. These representations, for the most part, did not, however, relate to shoplifting in particular.