§ MR. HOPWOODasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether, to prevent the recurrence of such cases as that of Elizabeth Burley at Dover, the Police employed under the Contagious Diseases Acts will be instructed and cautioned that no authority is given to them by those Laws to stop, or question, or molest any woman, but only to proceed against those suspected of prostitution under a summons or order of justices of the peace?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTSir, I understand that the matter occurred in the sense of the hon. and learned Member's Question. It is altogether contrary to the duty of the police to molest any woman for the purpose of carrying out these Acts, or to do otherwise than obtain an order of the Justices, except, of course, in the case of voluntary submission. Directions to that effect have been given to the police, and will be enforced.