§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences were committed in the borough of Hertsmere in each of the last four years for which figures are available, broken down by type of offence; and what the clear-up rate was in each case. [131948]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe latest available data for notifiable offences recorded by the police in Hertsmere are given in the table. No data are available for the year to March 1997 due to substantial changes in boundaries.
with alcohol retailers on measures they are proposing to help prevent high percentage volume beers, lagers and ciders from reaching under-age drinkers; [132255]
(2) if he will discuss with alcohol retailers the display and marketing of high alcohol volume percentage beers, lagers and ciders. [132257]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienI refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 21 July 2000,Official Report, columns 362–63W.
§ Mr. Ben ChapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the numbers of recorded incidents of criminal damage that have involved the consumption of alcohol by the perpetrator, indicating the proportion which involved under-age drinkers; [132243]
(2) if he will make a statement on the numbers of recorded non-vehicle related thefts (a) nationally and (b) on Merseyside that have involved the consumption of alcohol by the perpetrator, indicating the proportion which involved under-age drinkers; [132253]
709W(3) if he will make a statement on the number of recorded burglaries (a) nationally and (b) on Merseyside that involved the consumption of alcohol by the perpetrator, indicating the proportion which involved under-age drinkers; [132265]
(4) if he will make a statement on the number of recorded crimes (a) nationally and (b) on Merseyside that involve the consumption of alcohol by the perpetrator, indicating the proportion which involved under age drinkers; [132258]
(5) if he will make a statement on the number of recorded violent crimes (a) nationally and (b) on Merseyside that have involved the consumption of alcohol by the perpetrator, indicating what proportion involved under age drinkers; [132272]
(6) if he will make a statement on the numbers of recorded incidents of criminal damage on Merseyside that have involved the consumption of alcohol by the perpetrator; [132274]
(7) if he will make a statement on the numbers and proportion of recorded incidents of criminal damage on Merseyside which involved under age drinkers in each of the last three years. [132310]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe information requested is not available. The police do not routinely provide information on the perpetrators of the offences that they record, and for many offences the perpetrator will not be known.
Estimates of the proportion of offences in which alcohol is involved have come from various ad-hoc studies. The figures they give vary somewhat according to the samples of offences taken, and the methodology of the studies. Moreover, it is difficult to say whether the misuse of alcohol was the cause of an offence, or merely a contributory factor.
One recent study looked at arrestees in five police force areas in 1996–97. This showed that 25 per cent. tested positive for alcohol, ranging from 42 per cent. in Sunderland to eight per cent. in Manchester. The proportion of offenders arrested for violent crime, burglary, non-vehicle related thefts and criminal damage that tested positive for alcohol is shown in Table 1. Information on the age of the arrestees is not available.
Table 1: Proportion of arrestees testing positive for alcohol Main offence Percentage of arrestees testing positive for alcohol Grievous bodily harm 17 Actual bodily harm 38 Burglary dwelling 26 Burglary non-dwelling 16 Theft from the person 0 Theft from a shop 12 Criminal damage 46 Note:
Based on Table D.5 in "Drugs and crime: the results of research on drug testing and interviewing arrestees", by Trevor Bennet, Home Office Research Study 183, Home Office, 1998. Only offences for which there are large enough numbers are included in Table 1
The British Crime Survey also asks victims who had some knowledge of the person(s) who committed crimes 710W against them mentioned in the survey whether they considered the perpetrator to be under the influence of drink or drugs. Table 2 presents results.
Table 2: Violence involving alcohol and/drugs (percentages): 1996 British crime survey Offender under influence of alcohol Offender under influence of drugs or alcohol Domestic violence 32 38 Mugging 17 25 Stranger violence 53 57 Acquaintance violence 54 53 All contact crime 41 48 Source:
The 1996 British crime survey: England and Wales, Home Office Statistical Bulletin 19–96. Home Office, 1996.
According to the most recent statistics, the number of offenders found guilty or cautioned for drunkenness in England and Wales in 1998 was 53,587. The number of those found guilty or cautioned under 18 was 8,487. For Merseyside the number of offenders was 8,602: 1,649 of these were aged under 18.
§ Mr. Ben ChapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the timetable for introducing a new offence of knowingly permitting the sale of alcohol to an under-18-year-old. [132105]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienIt is currently an offence under section 169(1) of the Licensing Act 1964 for the holder of a liquor licence knowingly to allow any person to sell intoxicating liquor to a person under 18. Under the Private Member's Bill introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for Pudsey (Mr. Truswell), the Licensing (Young Persons) Bill, this offence will be amended to include any person who works in licensed premises in a capacity, whether paid or unpaid, which gives him authority to prevent the sale. The Bill has so far enjoyed wide support and was successful at Second Reading in the House of Lords on 14 July. We therefore hope that the extended offence will become law this year.
§ Mr. Ben ChapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to discuss with the brewing industry measures they are proposing to tackle anti-social and criminal behaviour by under-age drinkers. [132307]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, South (Mr. Clarke), has this year chaired two seminars with representatives of the brewing, hospitality and leisure industry, and other interested groups to discuss this and other matters relating to the links between alcohol and crime. A further seminar is due to take place in September. A range of initiatives within a strategic action plan should flow from this work.
The Government have already been encouraged by the industry's approach to social responsibility. A good example was the launch of the Brewers and Licensed Retailers Association's Partnership Initiative on 29 March this year. The Initiative is part of an ongoing industry-wide strategy to promote retailer responsibility across the licensed trade. It opens the way to direct industry involvement in crime and disorder partnerships, and will enable them to make a positive contribution to 711W public order policies at local level. The aim of the initiative is to facilitate this involvement by setting up a database of company nominees and actively seeking to place them in local partnerships through liaison with local authorities.