§ Mr. John Grantasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the comparable percentage change in the overall number of crimes in England and Wales between 1973 and 1979 and between 1979 and 1982, respectively.
§ Mr. MayhewInformation on notifiable offences recorded by the police is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales 1981" (Table 2.2 Cmnd. 8668); information for the calendar year 1982 is not yet available. Between the years 1973 and 1979 the annual change in the numbers of recorded offences (excluding criminal damage valued at £20 and under) varied between an increase of 18 per cent. and a decrease of 3 per cent.; the average annual change over this period was an increase of 6 per cent. a year. Figures for 1979 are not directly comparable with those for later years because of changes made by new counting rules; between 1980 and 1981 the corresponding numbers increased by 11 per cent.