§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present crime rate in Luton and Bedford; and what has been the trend during the past five years in each.
§ Mr. MayhewThe information collected centrally on serious offences recorded by the police is for the whole of police force areas. Information on the number recorded per 100,000 population in Bedfordshire police force area is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—table 2.3 of the volume for 1980, Cmnd. 8376. Figures for 1980 are not precisely comparable with those for earlier years because of the introduction of new counting rules on 1 January 1980. Figures for 1981 are not yet available.