§ Mr. Hannanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland in how many criminal cases in each of the last three years, showing separately violent criminal cases, the consumption of alcohol was advanced on behalf of the defendant.
§ Mr. Hannanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will cause research to be undertaken by his Department into the incidence of alcohol consumption in the commission of crime, including violent crime.
§ Mr. RossCriminological research in Scotland is not undertaken directly by my Department, but financial grants are made for research projects in this field proposed by the Scottish universities. No such project is at present exclusively concerned with the relationship between the consumption of alcohol and the incidence of crime, but it is recognised that the consumption of alcohol is a contributory factor in the commission of crimes, including crimes of violence.
162W
1963–4 1964–5 1965–6 1966–7 1967–8 1968–9 1969–70 (estimated) £ £ £ £ £ £ £ Current Grants … 49,146 61,716 77,148 96,581 107,406 118,492 142,000 Capital Grants … 40,006 96,720 141,800 228,254 305,783 269,038 290,000 The figures for 1968–69 are provisional. not at present available in the form requested.