§ Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were found guilty of arson in(a) 2001 and (b) 2002. [120917]
§ Ms Blears1,500 persons were found guilty of arson in England and Wales in 2001.
Statistics for 2002 will be published in the autumn.
§ Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces in England and Wales have specialist units dealing with arson. [122589]
Number of persons found guilty, sentenced and sentence breakdown for arson1 at all courts England and Wales 1997 to 2001 1997 1998 1999 20002 2001 Found guilty 1,582 1,393 1,380 1,436 1,500 Total sentenced 1,574 1,338 1,373 1,420 1,480 Breakdown of total sentenced Absolute discharge 5 3 1 5 4 Conditional discharge 204 128 138 108 95 Fine 163 36 29 29 36 Probation order3 227 224 212 !97 190 Supervision order, community service order4, combination order5 and curfew order 319 311 342 326 319 Fully suspended sentence 20 29 17 21 16 Immediate custody 485 479 512 512 533 Other community orders6 and otherwise dealt with 151 128 122 222 287 1 These data are on the principal offence basis. 2 Staffordshire Police were only able to supply a sample of data for magistrates' courts proceedings covering one full week in each quarter for 2000. Estimates based on this sample are included in the figures, as they are considered sufficiently robust at this high level of analysis. 3 Community rehabilitation order from 1 April 2001. 4 Community punishment order from 1 April 2001. 5 Community punishment and rehabilitation order from 1 April 2001. 6 Attendance centre order, reparation order, action plan order and drug treatment and testing order.