§ Mr. TyrieTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) crimes and (b) violent crimes were recorded in west Sussex in (i) the latest year for which figures are available, (ii) 1996 and (iii) 1997. [158574]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeAs west Sussex is a part of the Sussex police force area, figures for west Sussex are not generally available. Recorded crime data for the Sussex police force area are given in the table. There was a change in counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998, and also an expansion of the offences recorded, which mean that figures before and after that date are not directly comparable. For example, from that date, figures for offences of violence against the person additionally include figures for common assault and assault on a constable, among other offences.
All recorded crime All violent crime 1996 118,086 7,848 1997 111,624 7,561 Year ending September 2000 137,961 19,624 Data for some offences, including the components of violent crime (violence against the person, sexual offences and robbery), have been recorded on a Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area basis for the period since 1 April 1999. Totalling CDRP figures for west Sussex shows that there were 8,702 violent offences recorded in that area in the year ending September 2000.