§ Ms. PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list statistics for each year from 1980 to 1990 showing;(a) the number of persons aged 18 to 25 years convicted of theft, (b) the number of persons aged 16 to 17 years convicted of theft, (c) the number of persons aged 18 to 25 years convicted of soliciting, (d) the number of persons aged 16 to 17 years convicted of soliciting, (e) the number of persons aged 18 to 25 years convicted of begging and (f) the number of persons aged 16 to 17 years convicted of begging.
§ Mr. John PattenInformation for the years 1980, 1983, 1986 and 1989 is given in the following table. To produce further information for the other years requested would involve disproportionate cost.
Number of persons convicted of theft, soliciting and begging by age group for the years 1980, 1983, 1986 and 1989 England and Wales Age groups 1980 1983 1986 1989 Theft 16–17 30,266 27,721 22,609 11,888 18–25 70,165 73,411 66,648 49,496 Soliciting 16–17 18 3 11 15 18–25 242 164 152 122 Begging 16–17 10 25 2 60 18–201 32 43 38 214 1 For the summary offence of begging it is not required to record the age of the offender if over the age of 21.