HC Deb 12 July 1982 vol 27 cc273-4W
Mr. Peter Robinson

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many unsolved murders there have been in Northern Ireland for each year since 1 January 1974.

Mr. Prior

Police records are not kept in such a way as to give the information in the form requested. However, the following table shows the number of deaths being treated by the police as murders in each year. It is not possible, without disproportionate cost, to relate the figures for murders cleared to the year in which they were committed.

Murders Murders cleared*
1974 205 49
1975 238 55
1976 280 87
1977 116 104
1978 82 67
1979 128 58

Murders Murders cleared*
1980 85 59
1981 95 42
1982 38 25
* Including those committed in earlier years.