HC Deb 08 April 2003 vol 403 cc206-7W
Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many new criminal offences have been created since May 1997. [107386]

Hilary Benn

Although the Home. Office is responsible for scrutinising proposals for new offences, no comprehensive records are kept centrally of all new offences by all government departments. The following information therefore relates only to Home Office measures which have been enacted since 1 May 1997.

The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 created two new offences: breach of anti-social behaviour orders and breach of sex offender orders. It also created nine racially-aggravated offences (amended by the Antiterrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 to "racially or religiously aggravated offences"), but these are based on existing offences and do not render unlawful behaviour which would otherwise have been lawful. The Data Protection Act 1998 created four new offences.

The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 created 12 new offences. The Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 created four new offences. The Football (Offences and Disorder) Act 1999 created one new offence.

The Terrorism Act 2000 created 38 new offences. The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 created four new criminal offences. The Football (Disorder) Act 2000 created two new criminal offence. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 created three new criminal offences.

The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 created 69 new criminal offences. The Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 created three new criminal offences. The Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000 created two new criminal offences.

The Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 created 12 new criminal offences. The Private Security Industry Act 2001 created 10 new offences. The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 created 19 new offences. The International Criminal Court Act 2001 created two new criminal offences.

The Mobile Telephones (Re-programming) Act 2002 created five new criminal offences. The Nationality Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 created 19 new criminal offences. The Police Reform Act 2002 created 23 new criminal offences. The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 created 28 new criminal offences.