§ Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Merseyside on the recent rise in the incidence of urban criminal damage and thefts from motor vehicles on Merseyside; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorI understand from the chief constable that changes in recording practices are largely responsible for the apparent rise in criminal damage offences on Merseyside. The rise in thefts from motor vehicles is not readily explicable; but the incidence of particular types of offence can vary considerably from year to year. Comparable figures for the whole of England and Wales are not yet available.