§ Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persistent offenders he estimates there are in England and Wales aged(a) under 18 years, (b) 18 to 20 years and (c) 21 years and over. [84296]
§ Hilary Benn[holding answer 9 December 2002]: Recent data from the Police National Computer shows that: in England and Wales, there is a group of about 6,600 persistent offenders aged 18–20, and 26,800 aged 21and over; and that about 4,800offenders aged under 18 years had been convicted of six or more recordable offences in the previous 12 months.