§ Mr. Tilleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the reasons for combining the distinct criminal offences of robbery and theft into compound categories in the annual police statistics.
§ Mr. MayhewIn the national statistics of "serious offences recorded by the police", as published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", offences of robbery are shown separately from offences of theft and handling stolen goods. The hon. Member may have in mind the offence category of "robbery and other violent theft" used by the Metropolitan Police, which covers robbery and any other offences of theft where actual or potential violence to the victim is involved and thus includes a proportion of offences of theft from the person and a small number of burglaries.
§ Mr. Ray Powellasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases involving drink and 17W violent crime have been prosecuted in Wales in 1982;, and what were the figures for similar periods in the previous five years.
§ Mr. MayhewThe information requested is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.