§ 20. Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men and how many women have been acquitted of shoplifting charges during the last five years for which records are available.
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§ Mr. John PattenThe information requested can be found in the relevant "Criminal Statistics for England and Wales, Supplementary Volumes I and II", copies of which are in the Library. Table 1.1A deals with magistrates courts and shows that in 1989 a total of 3,594 males and 1,788 females of all ages were either found not guilty or, for various reasons, the case was not proceeded with. Table 2.1A gives equivalent figures in the Crown court of 410 males and 235 females. I am arranging for the statistics for 1985–88 to be sent to the hon. and learned Member.