HC Deb 24 June 1918 vol 107 cc719-20
78. Mr. LEES-SMITH

asked the Home Secretary whether, in recent cases at Eastbourne and Newport Pagnell, women charged under Regulation 40D of the Defence of the Realm Act with having sexual intercourse with a soldier while having venereal disease have had their names and addresses published while the name of the, infected soldier has been withheld; and, if so, whether he will give instructions that either the names of both the man and the woman be published or both kept private?

Mr. BRACE

I am informed that both at Eastbourne and Newport Pagnell the soldiers concerned went into the witness-box, and gave their names in the usual way. I do not know whether their names and those of the defendants were published in the Press or not. In any case, the Home Office has no authority either to compel or to prevent the publication of the names of defendants and witnesses.

79. Mr. LEES-SMITH

asked the Horn© Secretary whether he will issue instructions that women charged under the new Regulation 40D of the Defence of the Realm Act shall in all cases be informed that there is no power to compel them to submit to a medical examination against their will?

Mr. BRACE

The Home Secretary has no authority to give instructions of this kind to magistrates, and no information has reached the Home Office to show that the issue of any circular on this subject is called for.

Mr. LEES-SMITH

Cannot the Home Secretary give instructions to the chief constables, and is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in all these cases the women only submit to this examination, because they think it is compulsory, and that throughout the country this Regulation is being worked simply by trading on the ignorance of these women?

Mr. BRACE

There is no necessity to issue instructions to chief constables, who know what is their position under the law.

Mr. LEES-SMITH

Have instructions been issued to chief constables in connection with the Regulation to tell the women of their rights under the law?

Mr. BRACE

I can only say for the Home Office that there is no reason for the issue of a special circular, but I will again look into the matter.