asked Her Majesty’s Government:

How many new criminal offences have been added to the statute book by both primary and secondary legislation since May 1997. [HL4496]

There is no comprehensive system in place for tracking new offences and penalties created across Whitehall. To obtain the information will involve a manual trawl through primary and subordinate legislation from the past 11 years. This information is being assembled, and I will write to the noble Lord as soon as it is available.