§ Mr. Ancramasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends any changes in the presentation or publication of criminal statistics.
§ Mr. YoungerFollowing consultation with police forces, a revised and improved 579W classification of crimes and offences has been introduced from the beginning of 1980. Details of the revised classification will be set out in the 1979 volume of "Criminal Statistics, Scotland" to be published later this year. Other changes have made it possible to provide figures for crimes and offences made known to the police earlier than hitherto, and it is proposed in future to announce quarterly and annual figures of these under broad groups as soon as they are available and in advance of the annual volume, starting with provisional figures for 1979 and the second quarter of 1980.