§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated in England and Wales as to the age of young girls soliciting for prostitution on the public highway; what has been the location of each such survey; and if he will make a statement. [16255]
§ Mr. MacleanAs part of an evaluation of a multi-agency initiative to reduce prostitution in Streatham, south London, an analysis was carried out of the details held on police files about prostitutes operating in the area in 1989–90. The ages of the women ranged from 16 to 48 years. Twenty-seven per cent. of the prostitutes were aged under 20, 50 per cent. were between 20 and 30 and 23 per cent. were over 30. A copy of this study, by Roger Matthews, is available in the Library.
§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many girls between the ages of 14 and 17 years have been charged with soliciting for prostitution in each of the last five years in England and Wales. [16256]
§ Mr. MacleanThe available information is given in the table:
The number of females aged 14 to 17 prosecuted for offences of 'a common prostitute loitering or soliciting for the purpose of prostitution'1 England and Wales Number of females Number of prosecutions 1990 396 1991 337 1992 283 1993 139 1994 186 1 An offence under section 1 of the Street Offences Act 1959.
§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of(a) men and 394W (b) women charged with and convicted of living on immoral earnings in England and Wales in each of the last five years; how many were sent to prison; and how many were fined. [16257]
§ Mr. MacleanThe available information is given in the table:
The number of males and females prosecuted, the number found guilty and of those sentenced, the number fined and the number sentenced to immediate custody for selected offences, England and Wales 1990–94 England and Wales Number of persons Offence description 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 LIVING ON EARNINGS OF EXERCISING CONTROL, OVER PROSTITUTE1 Prosecutions Males 73 87 89 63 78 Females 20 19 21 9 20 Total found guilty Males 62 68 58 42 60 Females 14 11 12 7 10 Fined Males 15 16 10 10 13 Females 10 6 6 1 2 Sentenced to immediate custody Males 22 31 21 22 21 Females — 2 — 1 3 MAN OR WOMAN LIVING WHOLLY OR IN PART ON THE EARNINGS OF MALE PROSTITUTION2 Prosecutions Males 1 1 — — 1 Females — — — 1 — Total found guilty Males 23 — — — — Females — — — 1 — Fined Males — — — — — Females — — — 1 — Sentenced to immediate custody Males 2 — — — — Females — — — — — 1 An offence under sections 30 and 31 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956. 2 An offence under section 5(1) of the Sexual Offences Act 1967. 3 The proceedings at magistrates courts which lead to offender being found guilty in the Crown court are not necessarily recorded in the same calendar year.