§ Mr. Lawrenceasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the annual increase in crimes of vandalism in Staffordshire in each year since 1970.
§ Mr. JohnThere is no specific criminal offence of vandalism. The information available on offences of criminal damage is given in the following table which gives increases for only the last two years because comparable annual figures are available only from 1975 following local government reorganisation on 1st April 1974.
OFFENCES OF CRIMINAL DAMAGE* RECORDED BY THE STAFFORDSHIRE POLICE Increase over previous year Year Number Percentage 1976 272 24 1977 305 22 * Excluding damage value £20 and under.