§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been charged with murder and manslaughter since October 1979 to the latest most convenient stated date; how many were found guilty when tried; and if he will provide similar details for any like period of time prior to the abolition of capital punishment.
§ Mr. Mayhew:The information available relates to calendar years and is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", copies of which are placed in the Library. (Table S.2.1(a) of the Supplementary tables 1980 Vol. 2, table 5(a) of the volume for 1979, Cmnd. 8098 and the corresponding tables in the command papers for earlier years.) Further information about all recorded offences of homicide (which covers infanticide as well as murder and manslaughter) is given in chapter 4 of the volume for 1980, Cmnd. 8376. The corresponding publications for 1981 will be issued on 21 October.