§ Mr. Wheelerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences of murder were finally recorded in 1979 and 1980; and how many of these cases were attributable to acts of terrorism; how many victims were acquainted with the murder suspect or accused; and what was the most common method of killing.
§ Mr. MayhewIn a case of homicide it is not possible in the absence of a court decision to distinguish between248W the offences of murder, manslaughter and infanticide. The information available is published in chapter 10 of Criminal Statistics, England and Wales. 1979, Cmnd. 8098. Of the 571 offences currently recorded as homicide in 1979, 121 had been decided by the court to be murder and 252 to be manslaughter or infanticide, one was attributed to acts of terrorism, 416 victims were acquainted with the suspect and the most frequently identified method of killing was by means of a sharp instrument. Information for 1980 is not yet available.