asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish in the Official Report the number of recorded offences of robbery and other violent thefts by police district in the Metropolitan Police district for 1980 and 1981, showing the percentage change and also the same table by police district and victim perception of appearance of assailant for 1981 and for any previous years which are available to the Metropolitan Police;(2) if he will publish in the

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information readily available is as given in the following tables which were circulated at the Metropolitan Police press conference on 10 March 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the publication of statistics of recorded crime in London by the Metropolitan Police on 10 March 1982.

The publication of these statistics, which are collected by the Metropolitan Police, is a matter for the Commissioner.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what definitions are used for crimes of violence known as "muggings" in the compilation of crime statistics; and what variations there are in these definitions between different police authorities.

Mugging is a term with no legal definition. The 43 police forces in England and Wales are required to supply information to the Home Office giving the numbers of offences recorded according to legal definitions. The collection of information for operational purposes is a matter for chief officers of police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ensure that all future crime figures and statistics for London and elsewhere show the racial spread amongst criminals for all types of crime and not just robbery and violent theft.

I have no plans to collect such statistics centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the crime figures for London are broken down to show the racial spread in crimes of robbery and violent theft and not for other types of crime.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police that such information is also collected for other types of offence where the assailant is likely to be seen by the victim—i.e. recorded offences of assaults, etc. and of non-violent 'theft from person of another'. Ethnic appearance is also collected for persns arrested for all types of serious crime.

asked the Secretary of St ate for the Home Department whether, as the police authority for London, he sanctioned or was consulted about the release of figures concerning the involvement of blacks in street crime by the Metropolitan Police; and if not, what action he proposes to take.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he authorised the publication by the Metropolitan Police of lists showing area by area the colour of offenders involved in street crime in London; and if he has any plans to authorise the publication by the Metropolitan Police of similar lists demonstrating the religous or political beliefs of such persons.

The publication of these statistics, which are collected by the Metropolitan Police, is a matter for the Commissioner, who informed me in advance of his intention.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether statistics are kept of the racial spread of the victims of robbery and violent crime in London.

I understand that the Metropolitan Police do keep such statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research studies have been carried out into crimes of violence known as "muggings"; if he will give details of their results; and if he will publish them.

My Department has carried out a limited study of these crimes in the West Midlands, Greater Manchester and Merseyside. An article reporting on this study will be published shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out for each London borough and for London as a whole for the last two years each of (a) the proportion of black population, (b) the black population between 14 and 21 years as a proportion of the total population between 14 and 21 years, (c) the proportion of crimes of violence allegedly committed by blacks only, (d) the proportion of crimes of violence allegedly committed by whites only, (e) the origins of crimes of violence proven to be committed by blacks and whites as above and (f) the number of crimes of violence.

Such information as is available could only be provided at disproportionate cost.