§ Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) houses were burgled, (b) cars were stolen, and (c) crimes were committed in the city of Liverpool in 1979–80, 1980–81, and 1981–82; and what was the detection rate.
§ Mr. MayhewSeparate information is not collected centrally for the city of Liverpool. Serious offences recorded by the police in the Merseyside police force area by type of offence are published on a calendar year basis in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—table 32 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1979", Cmnd. 8098, and table S.3.1 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, supplementary tables 1980", Vol. 3. The figures for 1979 are not directly comparable with those for 1980, because of the introduction of a new set of counting rules in 1980. The available information on clear-up rates for the offences requested is given in the following table:
Clear-up rates for serious offences recorded by the police Merseyside Percentages 1979 *1980 Burglary in a dwelling 46 42 Theft of unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle 37 43 Total serious offences recorded 42 42 * Figures for 1980 are not precisely comparable with those for 1979 because of changes made by new counting rules which were introduced at the beginning of 1980.