§ 5. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Home Secretary how many prosecutions have taken place on account of whist drives, raffles, draws, sweepstakes, and the like during the last 12 months; and in how many cases have convictions been secured?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThis information is not available, and to collect at specially would entail an expenditure of time, money and labour that would not be justified.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWill the right hon. Gentleman be able to give the figures for the Metropolitan area if I give him a week's notice?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI will try to get them.
§ 7. Mr. MONTAGUEasked the Home Secretary whether he will issue similar instructions in relation to Derby sweepstakes organised on behalf of the funds of bona fide organisations as he has already given to the police in relation to whist drives, namely, that the police should not interfere unless real harm was being done?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI cannot give binding instructions to the police in general, but upon occasion I direct their attention to important decisions in the Courts or pronouncements in this House. I have found no difficulty in saying that ordinary whist drives had better not be interfered with unless harm is being done, e.g., unless they are conducted for profit or are a cloak for gambling of a serious kind, but sweepstakes on the Derby are another matter altogether. The line I have suggested to the police, which I believe they act upon, is that they should not interfere with a private or quasi-private lottery honestly conducted. By a quasi-private lottery I mean one promoted by a genuine club or society, 1690 not publicly advertised, where tickets can only be obtained by or through a member and the prizes are usually paid to members. It should not be difficult for bona fide organisations to keep within this line, but I ought to add that in the event of a prosecution any question of law involved would of course be for the Courts.
§ Mr. MONTAGUEIs it not the case that the majority of sweepstakes referred to are run by societies who sell tickets to their members, and that they cannot control their members reselling tickets to their friends? Does the right hon. Gentleman suggest that these are not bona fide; that they are for the purpose of private profit?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe hon. Member and the House will realise that this is a very difficult question and the law is very involved. I have tried to draw a line which I think is fair, that a sweepstake conducted in a club is private. Obviously it is quite impossible to know whether a member sells a ticket to somebody outside. I draw the line to prevent the public purchasing these tickets. It is the best line I can draw in the present very difficult state of the law.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWhat is now the position in regard to sweepstakes at bazaars to raise funds for charitable purposes?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe hon. and gallant Member will forgive me for saying that the position in regard to sweepstakes at bazaars would be better if he had not asked the question about it. Where no real harm is being done, it is not necessary for the law to take notice of small technical infractions of that kind.
§ Sir R. THOMASIf the right hon. Gentleman is returned to the next Parliament, will he then tackle the law on this question?