Mr. Edward Taylorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now in a position to indicate the numbers of murders and crimes of violence made known to the police in 1972; and when he anticipates that detailed crime statistics for 1972 will be available.
§ Mr. CarlisleMy right hon. Friend expects to be able to announce in April the number of indictable offences of violence against the person recorded as known to the police in England and Wales in 1972.
It is the practice not to publish a figure for murder in England and Wales until most of the cases have passed through the courts and a latest corrected figure can be given: this is unlikely to be before the middle of the year.
Detailed figures of murder and other offences of violence will be included in the 1972 Criminal Statistics, which I hope will be published in the summer.