HC Deb 10 December 1975 vol 902 cc235-6W
Mr. Adley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what positive steps his Department has taken to implement the recommendations of the Perks Committee in 1967 concerning the categorising of crime;

(2) under what circumstances alterations are made to the categories of crime kept statistically by his Department.

Mr. Alexander W. Lyon

The classifications used in presenting criminal statistics are kept under continuing review. Alterations are made from time to time in the light of,inter alia, the recommendations of the Perks Committee, to achieve greater clarity, to give them more meaning, and to take account of changes in the law. A standard crime report form on the lines recommended by the Perks Committee has been agreed with the police, and is already being used by a number of police forces; this will help to enable further improvements to be made as resources permit.