§ 84. Mr. JAMES GARDNERasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make inquiries as to the circumstances in which what purports to be the confession of Arthur Rouse reached the Press?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Clynes)I have made searching inquiry. I am satisfied that no confession was passed out by any official, and I think it very unlikely that any such document was sent out or passed out in any other way.
§ Mr. GARDNERIs my right hon. Friend aware that certain journals are claiming that they have definite proof that such a confession has come out of the prison, and in the light of the libel, as I would call it, on the prison officials, will the right hon. Gentleman take some steps to prevent a recurrence?
§ Mr. CLYNESI cannot answer for the resources or inventiveness of the Press. I can only say that I have made the most searching inquiry at the prison, and have accordingly answered in the terms which I have already given.
§ Mr. O'CONNORWill the Government allow time for a private Member's Bill to deal with indecencies of this kind?
§ Mr. CLYNESI doubt whether even a private Member's Bill could deal with indecencies of that kind.
§ Mr. DAYHas the right hon. Gentleman power to prohibit the publication of such sensational and erroneous information?
§ Mr. CLYNESNo power whatever.
§ Mr. MARJORIBANKSWill the right hon. Gentleman make arrangements for the official publication of confessions?
§ Mr. CLYNESThere is a firmly established practice to the contrary with very many advantages, and I see no reason to vary it.
§ Mr. HALL-CAINEHave the Press invented the confession or did Rouse confess?
§ Mr. CLYNESI think that the terms of my answer cover amply all that can accurately and officially be said on the question.
§ Mr. FREEMANWould not the abolition of capital punishment be the best solution of this matter?
§ 85. Mr. GARDNERasked the Home Secretary if he has inquired into the means by which statements purporting to describe the last hours of Arthur Rouse, who was executed at Bedford on 10th March, have appeared in certain newspapers; whether any of this information was communicated by any of the prison officials; and, if so, what steps he is taking in the matter?
§ Mr. CLYNESThese statements, where they do not relate to matters of ordinary routine, are sheer fabrications. For instance, it is entirely untrue that a gramophone was used as one means of passing the prisoner's time.
§ Mr. GARDNERWill not the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration an amendment of the law, because recently there have been powers taken to prevent cartoonists in the Law Courts and photographers outside making portraits for certain classes of cases, and are not the feelings of the relatives of the victim something to be considered?
§ Mr. CLYNESThere is something in that analogy, but it is not a matter which can be disposed of by an answer to a supplementary question.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that one good feature of the General Strike was that there were no newspapers?
§ 86. Mr. DAYasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the publication of an alleged confession by Alfred Arthur Rouse, he can say whether any pledge 1675 is demanded from relatives and others permitted to visit criminals under sentence of death that they shall not publish or divulge the result of such interviews; and, if not, whether he will in future exact such a pledge?
§ Mr. CLYNESIt is not the practice to demand such pledges, which in any event would be difficult to enforce, and nothing happened in the present case which suggests that practice in this matter should be altered.