§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 26 March (WA 36), whether figures are now available for the number of prosecutions under the Computer Misuse Act 1990 in 2001. [HL577]
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Falconer of Thoroton)The information requested is contained in the table.
Because the number of cautions exceeded prosecutions for Section 1 in England and Wales, these data are also shown.
Information for Northern Ireland should be available around summer 2003.
Number of persons(1) cautioned by the police and proceeded against for offences under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, United Kingdom, 2001 England and Wales Scotland Northern Ireland Statute Offence description Cautions Prosecutions Cautions Prosecutions Cautions Prosecutions Computer Misuse Act 1990. Sec. 1 Unauthorised access to computer material 10 9 + - . . . . Computer Misuse Act 1990. Sec. 2 Unauthorised access with intent to commit or facilitate commission of further offences - 4 + - . . . . Computer Misuse Act 1990. Sec. 3 Unauthorised modification of computer material 10 12 + 1(2) . . . . Total 20 25 + 1(2) . . . . (1) Figures provided are on the principal offence basis. (2) The figures provided for Scotland have been derived from information held on the Scottish Executive Justice Department's court proceedings database. These data are subject to the data quality limitations inherent in any large statistical database. . . = not available. + = not applicable. - = nil.