§ Lord Bleaseasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will update the information on Child Sexual Abuse in Northern Ireland given in the Official Report of 16th April 1986, col. 750 (25th June).
§ The Parliamenatary Under-Secretary of State Northern Ireland Office (Lord Lyell)The number of sexual offences against children in Northern Ireland reported to the RUC in 1986 is as follows:
Male Female Total Offences against persons aged 14 but under 17 40 226 266 Offences against persons aged under 14 70 239 309 Total 110 465 575 Note: Statistics are not readily available as to how many of the reported offences relating to children were subsequently cleared, but of the total in 1986 of 834 sexual offences reported against all age groups 623, or 75 per cent., were subsequently cleared.
I regret that the figures given in both tables in answer to the noble Lord on 16th April 1986 were incorrect, in that they comprised all sexual offences and not just those committed against children. Unfortunately the statistics for the period prior to 1986 do not distinguish between children and adults, and I am therefore unable to provide details of offences against children for the five-year period 1981–1985. A new system was introduced by the RUC in 1986 which enables them to distinguish between children and adults only from that year. Comparable figures for England and Wales for 1986 are not available.