§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children have died from violence in each of the last five years. [75553]
§ Hilary Benn[holding answer 21 October 2002]Homicide statistics are published annually in Chapter 4 of "'Criminal Statistics England and Wales'. Data are published on a calendar year basis up to 1997 and a financial year basis from 1997–98. The latest statistics relating to 2000–01 were published in December 2001 in "Criminal Statistics England and Wales 2000". Table 4.6 gives currently recorded homicides by age and gender of victim.
Homicides of children under 16 years are given in the following table.
Age of victim Under one year One and under five years Five and under 16 years 1996 27 20 33 1997 33 20 30 1997–98 30 16 26 1998–99 40 22 25 1999–2000 31 13 23 2000–01 50 19 29 Note:
Data as at 3 October 2001; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts or as further information becomes available.