§ Mr. Richard Shepherdasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the percentage increase or decrease in crimes, offences, drink-related crimes and drink-related offences, respectively, over the past five years.
§ Mr. BrittanThe information available on crime relates to the number of 103W serious offences recorded by the police in England and Wales. In 1978 the total number of serious offences—excluding offences of criminal damage value £20 and under—was 45 per cent. higher than in 1973; information is not available about the number of these offences committed under the influence of drink. The coverage of these offences does not include offences of drunkenness or offences of driving and so on after consuming alcohol or taking drugs. The number of persons found guilty of offences of drunkenness in 1977, the latest year for which figures are available, was 17 per cent. higher than in 1972; over the same period the number of persons found guilty of offences of driving or being in charge of a motor vehicle while unfit through drink or drugs was 4 per cent. lower and the total number of persons found guilty or cautioned was 10 per cent. higher.