§ SIR GEORGE CAMPBELLasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether, with reference to the serious division of opinion among the Judges on the question whether Stock Exchange practices, which all consider to be dishonest and immoral in the highest degree, are punishable by the existing Criminal Law, and also to the opinion of the Attorney General, that it is no part of his duty to initiate criminal proceedings against the promoters of Companies, the Government are still considering the expediency of strengthening the Law for dealing with financial and commercial frauds, and of appointing a public prosecutor, who may deal with the delinquencies of the rich as effectually as the police deal with those of the poor?
MR. ASSHETON CROSS,in reply, said, that the hon. Member must be aware that a Commission had been very lately appointed to inquire into the whole subject. He was bound to say that under the circumstances it would be wise to wait for their Report before any such steps as those suggested were taken. He would be quite ready to do so, if the Report required it.