David Ruffley MP Shadow Minister for Police Reform: 'New figures reveal massive increases in numbers killed by knives in the last ten years'

Shadow Police Reform Minister, David Ruffley MP said: 'These latest Home Office statistics I have unearthed show that between 1997 and 2006/07 there has been a 21% increase in the numbers of homicides, from 609 in 1997 to 734 in 2006/07. Over the same time period, the numbers of male victims has soared by 40%, from 395 in 1997 to 547 in 2006/07.

I have also uncovered in these Home Office figures that between 1997 and 2006/07 there has been a:

Œ‡ 29 per cent increase in the numbers killed by sharp instruments, such as knives, from 200 in 1997 to 258 in 2006/07

Œ‡ 73 per cent increase in the numbers killed by being hit and kicked, from 81 in 1997 to 140 in 2006/07

Œ‡ 48 per cent increase in the numbers killed by poison and drugs, from 17 in 1997 to 25 in 2006/07

This makes a mockery of repeated Government promises that violent crime is lower than ten years ago.

Notes to editors

22 Apr 2008 : Column 1940W

Crimes of Violence

Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of incidents of violence against the person involved a (a) knife, (b) hitting implement, (c) glass or bottle, (d) stabbing implement, (e) firearm, (f) stone or stones, (g) syringe and (h) other implement in each police force area in England and Wales in each year since 1997. [195598]

Mr. Coaker: The information requested is not available centrally. It is not possible to determine the implement used in crimes of violence against the person from the recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office.

Statistics are published on the number of homicides by the apparent method of killing. Figures for 1996 to 2006-07 are given in the following table.

Table 1.03 Offences currently( 1) recorded as homicide by apparent method of killing and sex of victim: England and Wales, 1996 to 2006-07