§ Mr. David Marshallasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of reported break-ins and attempted break-ins to all forms of property in Scotland for each of the years from 1979 to date; what the percentage increase is from 1979 to date; in how many instances no charges were ever made; and what percentage of the total this represents.
§ Mr. Ancram[pursuant to his reply, 16 January 1984, c. 160]: The information is set out in the following tables:
Housebreakings recorded by the police, Scotland Year Number Recorded Number not cleared up* Percentage not cleared up* 1979 68,505 54,453 79.5 1980 70,130 54,546 77.8 1981 85,160 67,841 79.7 1982 94,818 77,759 82.0 1983 95,236 77,742 81.6 Percentage change 1979–1983 39.0
354W
Attempted Housebreakings recorded by the police, Scotland Year Number Recorded Number not cleared up* Percentage not cleared up* 1979 8,130 6,736 82.9 1980 8,316 6,702 80.6 1981 10,521 8,612 81.9 1982 11,453 9,537 83.3 1983 13,284 11,160 84.0 Percentage change 1979–1983 63.4 * A crime is regarded as cleared up if one or more offenders is apprehended, cited, warned or traced for it. Since crimes may be cleared up in the year following the date of recording (or later), the figures for crimes recorded and crimes cleared up in any particular year are not strictly comparable: but any consequent distortion would be minimal. Note
The figures for housebreaking include breaking into all types of building, including both residential and commercial property. These figures do not include breaking into other types of property such as cars (classified as thefts by opening lockfast places). The number of cases in which no charge was made is not available in the form requested; but the tables indicate the number and percentage of cases not cleared up. The figures for housebreaking are for the years to 1983, the latest date for which information is available.