HC Deb 03 February 1977 vol 925 cc233-5W
20. Mr. Forman

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out the broad lines of his policy for the prevention and punishment of crime.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

I refer the hon. Member to my speech in the Supply Day debate on crime prevention on 27th January.—[Vol. 924, c. 1741–60.]

Mr. Jim Callaghan

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of cases of housebreaking in the last three years for which figures are available in the county districts of the Greater Manchester Metropolitan County.

Dr. Summerskill

The following table shows the number of offences of burglary and aggravated burglary in a dwelling, those being the offences which correspond with the term housebreaking. As police force areas were reorganised on 1st April 1974 figures are given for the Greater Manchester police area from that date until the end of 1975. Figures for 1976 are not yet available.

OFFENCES OF BURGLARY AND AGGRAVATED BURGLARY IN A DWELLING RECORDED AS KNOWN TO THE GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE—BY DISTRICT OF THE GREATER MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN COUNTY
Number of offences
Burglary and aggravated burglary in a dwelling
April-December
District 1974 1975
Manchester (City) 5,060 6,748
Salford 1,670 1,898
Tameside 799 1,099
Stockport 1,288 1,902
Bolton 709 934
Wigan 664 741
Trafford 856 1,041
Bury 520 713
Rochdale 1,121 1,526
Oldham 1,296 1,606
Total 13,983 18,208

Mr. Jim Callaghan

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of cases of mugging in the last three year for which figures are available in the metropolitan county districts of the Greater Manchester Metropolitan County.

Dr. Summerskill

There is no specific offence of "mugging", a term which has no legal definition.

The following table gives details of the number of offences of robbery, including assaults with intent to rob, since it is into this category that incidents described as "muggings" will generally fall. As police force areas were reorganised on 1st April 1974 figures are given for the Greater Manchester police area from that date until the end of 1975. Figures for 1976 are not yet available.

OFFENCES OF ROBBERY RECORDED AS KNOWN TO THE GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE—BY DISTRICT OF THE GREATER MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN COUNTY
Robbery
April-December
District 1974 1975
Manchester (City) 175 291
Salford 20 34
Tameside 17 22
Stockport 37 28
Bolton 7 36
Wigan 11 14
Trafford 19 30
Bury 11 25
Rochdale 32 28
Oldham 28 39
Total 357 547