§ Mr. Hickmetasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the system of burglary screening within the Metropolitan police area operates; why and when it was introduced; how many burglaries are being investigated by the CID, categorised by degree of investigation, since its introduction; if he will give comparable figures for the past four years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Giles ShawBurglary screening is a means of assessing the solvability of a case by awarding points derived from a careful analysis of evidence at a scene of a crime; it was introduced in the Metropolitan police district in September 1983 as a result of an examination by Metropolitan police officers of the methods of investigation underlying higher clear-up rates in other forces; the statistical information requested is not available.