§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons were given a prison sentence in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years for which figures are available for stealing cars and joyriding in such vehicles; what was the average sentence in each year; and how many cars were stolen in each of those years.
§ Sir John WheelerThe number of cases where prison sentences were given for the theft and for the unauthorised taking of vehicles in 1990, 1991 and 1992 were respectively 72, 66 and 123. The average prison sentence in each of those years for those sentenced to immediate custody was 5.3, 5.1 and 5.2 months respectively. The number of vehicles reported stolen or otherwise taken and driven away without authority was 7,042 in 1990, 8,455 in 1991 and 9,376 in 1992.