§ SIR HENRY TYLERasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he will take into consideration the question of dealing by legislation with the cases of burglars and others carrying revolvers or other firearms and shooting innocent people, and of appropriately punishing such crimes whether attended or unattended by fatal results?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTSir, I answered a Question similar to this earlier in the Session. I learn from the police that the practice of carrying firearms is not very frequent. At the same time, I think it would be very desirable to provide some severer punishment for offences committed by persons carrying them. In any amendment of the Criminal Law it would be well to introduce such a change.
§ SIR HENRY TYLERsaid, that the Secretary of State for the Home Department had not taken any notice of the last part of the Question, with regard to appropriately punishing such crimes, whether unattended or attended by fatal results.
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTSir, what I meant to say was that slight offences committed by men carrying firearms should meet with severer punishment than crimes committed by men who do not carry firearms.