§ 32. Mr. Popplewellasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have taken place, during the last 12 months, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, against keepers of brothels, persons living on the earnings of prostitutes, persons for importuning, also against keepers of betting houses; and if he will give comparable total figures for each group for the previous six years.
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeWith the hon. Member's permission, I will circulate a table in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. PopplewellWill the right hon. and gallant Gentleman say whether Newcastle, which he and I have in part the honour to represent, is any worse than any comparable city of this size in this direction?—I do not think it is. Will he also say whether in the last 12 months there have been more prosecutions than in the previous six years; and could he give reasons why and try to split his reply up into the respective police divisions?
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeYes. I think the hon. Member will find that the report has been split up into divisions. I am sure that he will be interested to know that in my own division there are no cases at all.
§ Mr. StokesAre the Messina brothers mixed up with any of these places in Newcastle?
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeI did not know they were still here. There is no evidence.
§ Mr. StokesThey are still here.
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeSo the right hon. Gentleman says, but I am still awaiting 551 his evidence on that. It will come some day, I have no doubt. Judging by the figures given here, I could hardly think it is a profitable area for the Messina brothers.
§ Mr. PopplewellHas there been a larger number of prosecutions during the past 12 months than in the previous six years?
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeI believe there has been an increase with regard to importuning, but I am told that that has been due very largely to a change in the attitude of the courts.
| Year ended 30th November | Permitting, assisting, and keeping brothels | Living on the earnings of prostitution | |||||||||
| Western Divn. | Central Divn. | Eastern Divn. | Total | Western Divn. | Central Divn. | Eastern Divn. | Total | ||||
| 1949 | … | … | … | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | … | … | … | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1951 | … | … | … | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1952 | … | … | … | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1953 | … | … | … | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | 3 |
| 1954 | … | … | … | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| (a) | |||||||||||
| 1955 | … | … | … | 6 | — | — | 6 | 5 | — | — | 5 |