§ MR. BAINESasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, How soon the Report of the Commission on the Contagious Diseases Act will be in the hands of Members; and whether it is the intention of Government to propose any legislation founded on that Report during the present Session?
MR. BRUCE, in reply, said, the Report of the Commission would be in the hands of Members in the course of a few days. It was signed by 23 of the 25 Members, two being absent, one from illness and the other on duty. The number of dissents detracted from the unanimity of the Report. Two-thirds of the Members were in favour of qualified compulsory application of the Acts, one-third—or rather, seven—were in favour of strengthening rather than weakening the Acts; six were in favour of repealing all compulsory legislation, and all were in favour of further legislation, with a view of modifying the law to make it applicable to the whole country. Such a Report was intended for the information of Government, of Parliament, and of the whole country; and at this period of the Session it would be impossible for hon. Members to give due consideration to the Report so as to be able to pass a useful measure founded upon it. It was therefore not the intention of the Government to introduce a Bill. Strong feelings had been created in the public mind by the frequent repetition of statements that in carrying out these Acts outrages had been committed upon innocent and virtuous women; but those statements had not been confirmed. Had they been confirmed, it would have been the duty of the Government, under any circumstances, to repeal Acts capable of such abuse; but the Commissioners said that the result of inquiry was to satisfy them that the police were not chargeable with any abuse of authority; that they had discharged delicate and difficult duties with moderation and 1887 caution; and that there was no foundation for the charges which had been so rashly made and repeated, and which had contributed to excite public indignation against these enactments. That finding was unanimous, and an examination of the facts showed not only that many of these statements were gross exaggerations, but that the greater part of them were sheer inventions. The House would therefore see that the substitution of legislation for that now in force was a matter which required on the part of the Government deep and anxious consideration, which could not be given to it either by the Government or by private Members at this period of the Session.