§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the numbers of children between the ages of 10 and 17 years who have committed serious crimes for each year since 1970 and the numbers of secure places available in each year.
§ Sir George Young[pursuant to his reply, 16 May 1980, c. 703]: Information on the age of offenders is known only for those offenders apprehended. The number of persons aged 10 and under 14, and aged 14 and under 17, found guilty of, or cautioned for, indictable offences has been published annually in " Criminal Statistics, England and Wales " since 1975 (table 5.10 of the volume for 1978, Cmnd. 7670). The information for the years 1970–74 is given in the following table. Information for 1979 is not yet available.
PERSONS AGED 10 AND UNDER 17 FOUND GUILTY AT ALL COURTS OR CAUTIONED FOR INDICTABLE OFFENCES England and Wales Year Number of persons 19701 126,672 19711 139,050 1972 148,770 1973 156,469 1974 184,491 1Adjusted for the Criminal Damage Act 1971. For information on secure places, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to her on 16 May.—[Vol. 984, c. 702.]