HC Deb 19 September 2002 vol 390 c26W
Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police authorities have the(a) highest and (b) lowest detection rates in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. [73223]

Mr. Denham

The information requested is as follows.

Detection rates-2001–02
Highest Dyfed Powys 64 per cent.
Lowest Metropolitan Police 14 per cent.

The overall detection rates are not the best indicator of police performance because detection rates can he affected by a number of factors, including changes in the mix of crime types in a force area. Variations across the country remain worrying, however, and the Police Standards Unit is working with forces to address this.

Numbers of detections rose across England and Wales by 2 per cent. in 2001–02. There were rises in numbers of detections in all crime types except for fraud and forgery—for example, numbers of detections for: burglary rose by 6 per cent.; robbery by 19 per cent. and violent crime by 3 per cent. Once the increase in numbers of crimes due to changes in police recording are taken into account, the detection rate in England and Wales appears stable. Detection rates in 11 forces improved, while a further eight forces showed no change in their detection rates.