§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the police force areas in Scotland where the total number of crimes has risen by (a) less than 10 per cent., (b) less than 25 per cent., (c) less than 33 per cent. and (d) more than 50 per cent., since 1975.
§ Mr. John MacKayThe Scottish police forces were reorganised during 1975; therefore, a meaningful comparison with figures for that year cannot be made. In the period 1976 to 1985 the percentage increases were as follows:
Increase in Crimes Recorded 1976 to 1985 by Police Force Area, Scotland Per cent Less than 33 per cent. Strathclyde 31.2 33 to 50 per cent. Northern 42.4 Over 50 per cent. Dumfries and Galloway 53.8 Tayside 55.2 Lothian and Borders 63.7 Central 72.3 Grampian 76.8 Fife 99.1 Note:
In calculating the above percentages the 1976 figures have been adjusted to conform with the revised classification of crimes and offences introduced in 1980.
§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state for each year since 1975 the number of crimes in Scotland involving the use of (a) any firearm, (b) a shotgun and (c) a crossbow.
§ Mr. John MacKayThe available information is set out. Figures are not available for years prior to 1978 and details for crossbow offences are not separately identifiable in the statistics.
234W
Crimes and Offences recorded by the Police involving the use of a Firearm: Scotland Total Involving a Shotgun 1978 492 54 1979 682 47 1980 1,093 62 1981 1,314 84 1982 1,283 98 1983 1,336 120 1984 1,353 137 1985 1,673 127 Note:
From 1980 onwards the statistics cover all crimes and offences in which a firearm was alleged to have been involved. For years prior to that only "crimes" as defined in the pre-1980 crime classification are included. Thus, for 1978 and 1979 cases of petty assault and of minor property damage are excluded from the above figures.
§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the increase since 1975 in the number of victims of offences of violence against the person.
§ Mr. John MacKayNo information on victims is available from the routine statistics. However, between 1976 and 1985 the number of recorded crimes of violence against the person increased from 6,680 to 12,098.
For the purpose of this reply, the term "violence against the person" is taken to include all non-sexual crimes of violence (group 1 of the standard classification) apart from robbery, those crimes of indecency (group 2 which contain a violent element, and certain crimes involving malicious and reckless conduct.
§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many crimes in Scotland were not cleared up in each of the last three years.
§ Mr. John MacKayThe table sets out the information requested.
Crimes not Cleared Up by the Police: Scotland Numbers 1983 309,668 1984 328,738 1985 306,947