To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many homicides (a) of and (b) by children there have been in each of the last 30 years; and what assessment he has made of trends in the levels of such homicides. (317967)

[holding answer 22 February 2010]: Available information is from the Homicide Index as at 24 November 2009 and relates to the number of currently recorded homicides in England and Wales: (a) where the victim was aged under 16; and (b) where the principal suspect was aged under 16. Data are shown according to the year in which offences were initially recorded as homicide; this is not necessarily the year in which the offence took place or the year in which any court decision was made.

The number of homicides involving victims aged under 16 in England and Wales fluctuated quite substantially between 1979 and 2008-09, peaking at 101 offences in 1985 and dipping to 48 offences in 2005-06. However, due to the relatively small numbers, considerable year-on-year variation is to be expected. On average, there have been 75 such homicides per year over the 30-year period. The lower numbers recorded in the last few years are in keeping with the lower number of overall homicides.

Homicides where the principal suspect was aged under 16 are rare, accounting for between 1 and 4 per cent. of all currently recorded homicides each year between 1979 and 2008-09. As with homicide victims aged under 16, the number has fluctuated during this period, and slight year-on-year variations are to be expected.