Crimes of Violence: Crime Prevention

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many woundings were reported in each of the four cities targeted by the Tackling Gangs Action Programme where the weapon used was (a) a gun and (b) a sharp or pointed instrument in each of the last three years. (263192)

Available data for Manchester, Liverpool, London and Birmingham relate to offences recorded at police force area level by the following forces: Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Metropolitan and West Midlands. Figures in the following table are based upon headline figures presented in tables 1.03, 1.13 and 2b of “Homicides, Firearm Offences and Intimate Violence 2007/08” (HOSB 02/09), and table 3.09 of “Crime in England and Wales 2007/08” (HOSB 07/08).

*Offences involving the use of a sharp instrument or firearm resulting in injury: TGAP forces, 2005-06 to 2007-08*¹
Number of offences
	Weapon type	Greater Manchester	Merseyside	Metropolitan	West Midlands
2005-06	Homicide²:
	Shooting³	5	1	23	5
	Sharp instrument⁴	11	10	57	22
	Firearm offences⁵ resulting in injury (excluding fatal)	347	248	1,627	368
	Knife offences^{4, 6} resulting in injury (excluding fatal)	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

2006-07	Homicide²:
	Shooting³	4	5	29	3
	Sharp instrument⁴	13	10	70	15
	Firearm offences⁵ resulting in injury (excluding fatal)	261	178	1,299	382
	Knife offences^{4, 6} resulting in injury (excluding fatal)	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

2007-08	Homicide²:
	Shooting³	6	6	23	4
	Sharp instrument⁴	15	9	78	15
	Firearm offences⁵ resulting in injury (excluding fatal)	307	134	1,494	351
	Knife offences^{4, 6} resulting in injury (excluding fatal)	915	364	1,747	931
n/a = Not available. These data have been collected centrally only since April 2007. ¹ Offences are shown according to the financial year (April to March) in which they were recorded by police. This is not necessarily the year in which the offence took place or the year in which any court decision was made. ² Currently recorded homicides as at 4 November 2008; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available. ³ Includes air weapons, crossbows. Excludes cases where weapon used as a blunt instrument. ⁴ Includes knives and other sharp instruments. ⁵ Includes air weapons, excludes crossbows. Injury incurred by weapon being fired or used as a blunt instrument. ⁶ Relates only to offences recorded as ‘wounding with intent to do GBH’ or ‘wounding or inflicting GBH’ (i.e. without intent).

Volume 489: debated on Tuesday 17 March 2009