§ 24. Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the increase in the number of notifiable offences between 1979 and the latest available figure; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MayhewFigures for 1979 are not directly comparable with those of later years because of changes made by new counting rules. Between 1980 and 1982 the number of notifiable offences recorded by the police in England and Wales increased by nearly 20 per cent. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Fife, Central (Mr. Hamilton) and to the replies given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to questions by the hon. Member for Ormskirk (Mr. Kilroy-Silk) on 18 and 29 March.—[Vol. 39, c.280; Vol. 40, c. 108–109.]
§ 27. Mr. Wrigglesworthasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the current trend in the number of serious crimes.
§ Mr. WhitelawI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave today to a question by the hon. Member for Fife, Central (Mr. Hamilton) and to the replies given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to questions by the hon. Member for Ormskirk (Mr. Kilroy-Silk) on 18 and 29 March.—[Vol. 39, c.280 and Vol. 40, c. 108–109.]