§ Ms. RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been convicted of rape since 1970; and how many of these persons have been sentenced to life imprisonment.
§ Mr. John PattenInformation on court proceedings for offences of rape is published annually in "Criminal Statistics England and Wales: Supplementary Tables Vols 1 and 2" under offence classification 19. The figures include some offences other than under section 1 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956 such as aiding and abetting and attempted rape. Figures for proceedings in magistrates' courts and the Crown court are given in tables SI. 1(A) and S2. 1(A): and for the distribution of the lengths of sentences of imprisonment imposed in table S2. 4. Copies are in the Library of the House.