HC Deb 26 February 1987 vol 111 cc338-9W
Mr. Holt

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the average figures served for life sentences imposed for offences of murder in the years 1960, 1970, 1975 and each year from 1980 to 1985.

Mr. Mellor

I shall reply as soon as possible.

Mr. Holt

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the median average sentences imposed for mugging offences in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Mellor

Statistics do not separately distinguish offences of "mugging", a term which has no legal definition; most offences of the type often referred to as "mugging" are recorded as robbery. The most frequent sentence given to those convicted of robbery has been immediate imprisonment. Information about the distribution of the lengths of such sentences is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, Supplementary Tables Volume 2" (in table 2.4 of the 1985 volume under offence classification 34). In each of the years 1976 to 1985 the median sentence of unsuspended imprisonment for offences of robbery was about 2½ years.

Mr. Holt

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to how many offenders found guilty of crimes of violence against the person, including murder, in each of the past 10 years were unemployed at the time the offence was committed; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Mellor

The information collected centrally on court proceedings does not include the employment status of the offender.

Mr. Holt

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to how many offenders found guilty of crimes of violence, including sexual offences, relate their crimes to motivation stimulated by television programmes.

Mr. Mellor

Such information is not available. However, the Home Office research and planning unit recently published a paper, "Television Violence: A Note on Recent Research" (Research Bulletin 22/1986, a copy of which is in the Library) which reviews the studies undertaken in recent years on the relationship of television violence to aggression.