§ Mr. Alex Carlileasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has any proposals for the introduction of a code of practice for the preparation of crime clear-up statistics in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he has any proposals for the introduction of formal guidelines on the basis of preparation of crime clear-up statistics in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. MellorThe Home Office has issued guidelines on the preparation of clear-up statistics, which specify the criteria by which an offence is recorded as cleared up. These are given on page 7 of the manual on Home Office requirements "Criminal Statistics Volume IV, Annual and Miscellaneous Returns", a copy of which is available in the Library. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary collects information on the number of offences cleared up in various ways by each force and from 1985 the Home Office has introduced a more detailed return designed to collect additional information, the publication of which will be considered in due course. The allocation of police resources to different ways of clearing up offences is an operational matter for chief officers to decide.