§ Mr. MullinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Northumbria as to what proportion of the crime clear-up rate for 1990–91 in Northumbria is accounted for by voluntary admission made by convicted criminals; how many detectives were employed to obtain these admissions; and when the practice ceased.
§ Mr. John PattenThe available information, for 1990, shows that, of the 77,000 notifiable offences cleared up by the police in Northumbria, 29.4 per cent. were cleared up by an interview of convicted offenders in custody. It is estimated that the equivalent of 40 officers were engaged in such interviews. The practice ceased at the beginning of December 1991.