§ Lord Jenkins of Putneyasked Her Majesty Government:
(a) how many adults were reported missing in the United Kingdom in the last three years for which records exist; (b) what is the current total number of adults remaining untraced who have been missing for 12 months or longer; (c) of this last number, how many have been missing for more than 5 years; (d) how many of those missing for 12 months or longer are regarded by the police as being missing in circumstances which give rise to fears about their safety.
The Minister of State, Home Office (The Earl of Caithness)The only readily available information relates to persons recorded by the Metropolitan Police Missing Persons Bureau. I understand from the Commissioner that these records are incomplete in respect of persons who are reported missing to other police forces and persons who reappear within a short time of being reported missing. The number of missing adults reported to the bureau was 2,206 in 1984, 2,149 in 1985 and 2,240 in 1986. At 31st December 1986, 1,062 adults were recorded as missing for twelve months or longer. Of these, 544 were missing for more than five years. Of those missing for twelve months or longer, some 265 went missing in circumstances which gave concern about their safety.