§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, S.E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the vaccination prosecutions and distraints now being carried out at Grays, Essex; whether, in the case of second prosecutions, he will remit the fine and costs; and whether the case of Wheeler, a labourer employed on the works of Brooks, Shoobridge, and Co., who has been twice prosecuted, on whose goods one distraint has already been made, and who is threatened with a second, has been brought to his knowledge?
§ MR. ASQUITHYes. I find that 65 warrants of distress were issued in June and July. In 46 cases the penalties were paid; in six the goods were sold; in nine there were no effects; and four 756 are still unexecuted. I am not aware whether any of these were cases of a second prosecution for the same child. In Wheeler's case there were two prosecutions, but for two different children. If I were to remit the fines I should be, in effect, repealing the Act of Parliament. As I have frequently stated, I deprecate second prosecutions for the same offence, and if the Bill which I have introduced were passed into law they would become impossible.
§ DR. MACGREGOR (Inverness-shire)May I ask whether, if repeated breaches of the Vaccination Law justify a remission of the penalties, the same rule will apply to breaches of the Land Laws; and if not, why not?
§ MR. ASQUITHThat is a matter of opinion and not of fact.
§ DR. MACGREGORI respectfully submit, Mr. Speaker, that that is a fair question to address to the Home Secretary.
§ *MR. SPEAKERThe right hon. Gentleman has already answered it. He has replied that it is a matter of opinion. I think myself that it is an argumentative opinion.