§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many persons over 21 years of age (in England, Wales and Scotland) have been prosecuted for private homosexual offences, and how many convictions have resulted therefrom since the publication of the Wolfenden Report on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution in September, 1957.
THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (EARL BATHURST)In England and Wales the number of men aged 21 or over convicted of the offences of buggery or indecency between men was 816 in 1958 and 959 in 1959, and in Scotland the number of such men against whom charges of sodomy or indecency with males were proved was 122 in 1958 and 89 in 1959. I regret that figures for the numbers of persons prosecuted are not available because the statistics of prosecutions do not distinguish between persons under and over the age of 21; and that the statistics do not show whether the offences recorded were committed privately or in public. Elaborate inquiries would be necessary to obtain information on these matters, and it is not felt that they would be justified