HC Deb 15 July 2002 vol 389 cc101-3W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the most recent estimated annual cost to(a) public funds, (b) private citizens and (c) insurance companies is of robbery. [68790]

Mr. Denham

[holding answer 11 July 2002]: The most recent publicly available estimates of annual costs of robbery were published in Home Office Research Study 217 "The Economic and Social Costs of Crime" in December 2000.

  1. (a)The annual cost to public funds of robbery
The estimated annual cost of robbery to public funds in 1999–2000 is £770 million. This figure includes costs to both the criminal justice system and health services.
  1. (b) The annual cost to private citizens of robbery
The estimated annual cost of robbery to private citizens in 1999–2000 is £1.5 billion. This includes the value of property stolen and the physical impact of the crime on the victim.
  1. (c) The annual cost to insurance companies of robbery
A rough estimate of the annual insurance administration costs associated with robbery is £19.6 million. Insurance administration costs are harder to estimate than costs to public funds or private citizens.