§ MR. W. R. REA (Scarborough)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the growing practice amongst a certain section of the Press, of publishing articles minutely descriptive of the methods practised in certain forms of crime, such as coining and house-breaking; whether he has official information showing that such articles are an incentive to imitation, and thus directly productive of an increase in the crime of the country; and whether there are no means by which the abuse may be checked.
§ *MR. GLADSTONEThe attention of the Home Office has more than once been drawn by Judges and others to the mischief done by such articles as are mentioned in the Question. One of the worst of these articles was withdrawn from circulation some years ago, but the evil it did survives, and quite recently a case occurred where it had led to the commission of crime. I entirely concur with what my predecessor said in this House on 1st August, 1904; and, if necessity arises, I shall be prepared to ask the Director of Public Prosecutions to take action. If it is found that the law requires to be strengthened, I am confident that I should receive the support of the House in legislation for its amendment.