HC Deb 22 October 1991 vol 196 cc556-7W
Mr. Nicholas Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the figures for(a) the total number of homicides in Northern Ireland and (b) the total number of homicides in Northern Ireland in which the victim was a child in (i) the last complete year in which the death penalty was available to the courts and (ii) each year since the death penalty ceased to be available to the courts.

Dr. Mawhinney

[holding answer 21 October 1991]: In Northern Ireland, the death penalty for most categories of murder was abolished in 1966, and for all murders in 1973. The following information gives the total number of homicides since 1966. Figures for infanticide and deaths of children under 14 are available only from 1977 and 1980 respectively.

Notes:

1. From 1968 to 1976 information on infanticides is included in "manslaughter".

2. Figures in brackets ( ) refer to children under the age of 14.

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