§ Mr. John MarshallTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the trends in crime in London in 1987.
§ Mr. John PattenI am very pleased to note that the Metropolitan police recorded 4 per cent. fewer crimes in190W 1987 than in 1986. The falls of 7 per cent. in theft of and from cars and 4 per cent. in burglary are an indication of what is possible and lend support to the efforts to persuade the public to take crime prevention measures. The drop of 11 per cent. in recorded rape offences is also encouraging. We are of course concerned about the increases in robbery (up 12 per cent.) and in violence against the person (up 11 per cent.), and we fully support the Commissioner's policy of concentrating resources on these types of crime.