§ Lord Monsonasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many offences for which individuals can be (a) fined, or (b) fined or sent to prison, have been created since 3rd May 1979; and how many have been deleted from the statute book.
§ Lord EltonThe only information readily available is contained in a record of new or amended penalties in public general Acts which is maintained by the Home Office and updated at the end of each year. This indicates that 225 offences for which convicted defendants can be fined, and 66 for which they can be fined or imprisoned, were created between 3rd May 1979 and the end of 1982. These include those offences which replaced ones deleted from the statute book; but no list of these, or of repeals generally, is maintained.