§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the percentage increases in 1980 compared with 1979 in (a) homicide, (b) theft, (c) fraud, (d) violence against the person, (e) burglary and (f) riots.
§ Mr. MayhewThe figures for 1979 and 1980 are published in table 3 of Home Office "Statistical Bulletin 5/81", copies of which are available in the Library of the House. Recorded figures for 1980 are not precisely comparable with figures for previous years because of the introduction on 1 January 1980 of a new, more comprehensive set of counting rules. This is unlikely to have affected appreciably the numbers of offences recorded for homicide, violence against the person, burglary and riot which in 1980 were respectively 1 per cent. lower, 2 per cent. higher, 13 per cent. higher and 100 per cent. higher than in 1979. The numbers of recorded offences of homicide—620 in 1980—and of riot—6 in 1980—are liable to vary considerably from year to year.