HC Deb 29 June 1888 vol 327 cc1724-5
MR. JOHN MORLEY (Newcastle-upon-Tyne)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he will lay before the House an analysis of the Return, ordered May 31, 1888, as to "The Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act, 1887," stating the dates and places of the several cases; the total number of cases; the number proceeded against under head or description of offence; the totals in each of discharge, acquittal, conviction, appeal, and result of appeal; and also the totals for the aggregate of cases of each description of sentence; under separate heads the number and names of Members of Parliament proceeded against, with the several heads of charge against them, and their classification for the purposes of prison treatment?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)

In accordance with a wish expressed by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Mid Lothian (Mr. W. E. Gladstone), I am having the Return, which was ordered on May 31, as to the proceedings under the Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act modified by the insertion of Provinces and Counties. I do not at present see any objection to giving the rest of the information asked for if it does not require too much clerical labour; and I think it will not, with the exception of the last sentence. I see no reason for giving under a separate head the names of Members of Parliament, which has nothing to do with a Criminal Return, though doubtless it might be used for controversial purposes.

MR. MAURICE HEALY (Cork)

asked, if the right hon. Gentleman would object to complying with the last sentence in the Question?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

said, he could not give that information in a separate Return in regard to Members of Parliament alone; but he did not know that there was any objection to giving it in regard to persons in general. He should see if it would not require too much expenditure of labour.

THE LORD MAYOR OF DUBLIN (Mr. SEXTON) (Belfast, W.)

asked, whether the right hon. Gentleman, who had control of the Irish Prisons Board, and who had confessed that he made a distinction in the prison treatment of priests, would give a Return under a special head showing the cases of priests who were in prison and the distinctions that were made in regard to their treatment?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

said, if particulars in regard to the treatment were given in the case of the other prisoners, of course it would also be given in the case of the priests; but he could not give a special Return in regard to the priests any more than in regard to Members of Parliament.