HC Deb 10 May 2001 vol 368 cc337-8W
Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average crime clear-up rate was in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; how many recorded crimes were not cleared up in each year; and if he will make a statement. [160796]

Mr. Charles Clarke

The table shows the clear-up rates for recorded crime in England and Wales since 1990, together with the total number of recorded crimes that were not cleared up in this period.

Recorded crime clear-up (or detection) rate and notifiable offences not cleared up
Percentage clear-up rate Number of offences not cleared up
1990 32 2,984,209
1991 29 3,595,853
1992 26 3,992,621
1993 25 3,988,955
1994 26 3,706,081
1995 26 3,609,069

Recorded crime clear-up (or detection) rate and notifiable offences not cleared up
Percentage clear-up rate Number of offences not cleared up
1996 26 3,580,686
1997 28 3,202,396
1998–99 29 3,611,970
1999–2000 25 3,964,272

Notes:

1. Offences of Criminal damage £20 and under have been excluded up to 1997; all criminal damage is included thereafter.

2. New guidance was issued in April 1999 that tightened up the conditions under which a crime can be detected. One of its principal features was the removal of post-sentence visits as a method of detection