§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many burglaries have been committed in the Greater London area and the rest of England and Wales, over the last 20 years; and how many have been solved.
§ Mr. BrittanThe information available relates to the numbers of burglaries recorded by the police, not the total numbers of burglaries committed. The numbers of offences of burglary recorded by the police are published by police force area since 1975 in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—table 32 of the volume for 1978, Cmnd. 7670. Information on clear-up rates for the Metropolitan Police district and the rest of England and Wales is given in the following table. Figures are not available on a comparable basis before 1969 because of changes made by the Theft Act 1968.
Offences of burglary recorded by the police and cleared up:
figures are available a member of the board of visitors at Pentonville prison visited the prison.
§ Mr. BrittanIn the period 1 July 1979 to 30 June 1980 there were 12 monthly meetings of the board attended on average by 11 members. Between meetings of the board, members visited the prison on 49 occasions to fulfil their statutory obligation. The chairman of the board made regular weekly visits to the prison. Two members of the board attended seven meetings of the local review committee; and adjudication panels of at least two members of the board were convened on 39 occasions.
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§ Mr. John Grantasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what investigations he is making into the sit-down at Pentonville prison; if he will publish his findings; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BrittanWe have received a full report from the governor of Pentonville prison about an incident there on Sunday 27 July. It is not customary to publish internal reports of this kind.
At 10.30 am, after an hour's exercise, about 100 unconvicted prisoners refused to return to their cells. Some prisoners returned to their cells during the day. The incident ended at 10.00 pm when all the remaining prisoners walked back to their cells. There is no report of any violence during the day. I should like to express my thanks to the governor and staff of Pentonville and to the staff of other prisons for their skilful handling of the incident and to the chairman and members of the board of visitors for their public service in attending the prison as observers for most of the day.
The prisoners involved have been advised of the proper channels by which they may complain of grievances.