§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the incidence of street crimes committed by persons of Asian appearance in the Metropolitan Police area since the disorders in Brixton in April 1981.
§ Mr. WhitelawI understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that during the eight-month period following the disturbances in April 1981, about 315 persons of Asian appearance were arrested for those offences of stealing most likely to have occurred in the street, that is offences of theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle, theft of pedal cycle, theft from the person and robbery. This represented about 2 per cent. of all arrests in that period for the total of such offences.