To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answers of 26 February, Official Report, column 515 and 5 February, Official Report, column 163, for what reasons information about the number of officers engaged in obtaining voluntary admissions during 1990–91 is available from the Chief Constable of Northumbria, but not from other forces, where more than 20 per cent. of their clear-up rate is accounted for by this practice.

Information on the number of detectives employed in obtaining voluntary admissions in Northumbria was available because of a special study reviewing this practice which was undertaken in that force. Such studies are at the discretion of the chief officer.