§ 1979 and 1986. Mr. Wareingasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the increase in burglary in the Merseyside police authority area between (a) 1974 and 1979 and (b)
§ Mr. MellorNumbers of offences recorded in each police force area are published each year in the Command Paper "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" and most recently in a Home Office statistical bulletin (table 6 of issue 4/87). The number of offences of burglary recorded by the Merseyside police decreased by an average of 2 per cent. per year between 1975 and 1979 and increased by an average of 9 per cent. per year between 1979 and 1986. Because the Merseyside police force was constituted on 1 April 1974, comparable figures based on the year 1974 are not available.