§ Mr. Stan Thorneasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for each year since 1978, how many persons were convicted of offences whose investigation was assisted by the forensic science laboratory at Chorley; and what were the offences.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThis information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Stan Thorneasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state for each year since 1978 the number of crimes whose investigation was assisted by the forensic science laboratory at Chorley.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe forensic science service maintains records of the numbers of cases submitted for examination but not the number of crimes to which they relate. The number of cases received at the forensic science laboratory, Chorley, since 1978 are as follows:
Number 1978 9,995 1979 8,654 1980 8,595 1981 8,282 1982 7,924 1983 6,873 1984 6,493 1985 5,564 The numbers have declined since 1978 as a result of decisions to concentrate efforts on the more serious and generally time-consuming cases.