§ 82. Sir C. CAYZERasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the large number of unsolved murder cases during the last two years, he intends to review the restrictions upon the method of the preliminary questioning of suspects by police officers imposed as the result of the findings of the Royal Commission on police powers and procedure?
§ Sir H. SAMUELI would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Dulwich (Sir F. Hall) on the 9th December last.
§ Sir C. CAYZERIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the restrictions imposed upon the police have had the effect of causing the police to be afraid to carry out examinations unless they have an absolutely cast-iron case and will the right hon. Gentleman not therefore see if it is possible to allow the police a greater degree of latitude in carrying out their investigations?
§ Sir H. SAMUELThe answer which I gave on that occasion was that there had been no change of practice and no complaint on the part of the police that their efforts to detect crime were in any way restricted.
§ Sir C. CAYZERIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the police are so handicapped in their investigations by these restrictions that unless they are 1646 modified there is a grave danger that the number of unsolved murder cases will greatly increase?
§ Sir H. SAMUELNo, Sir. The whole of this contention is misconceived. There has been no change of practice at all.
§ Captain GUNSTONIs the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that the police do not desire a change?
§ Sir H. SAMUELI have received no representation from any police authority that any change is desirable.