48. Mr. TEMPLE MORRISasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the fact that the defence created by Section 2 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1922, and available to men of 23 years of age or under, of reasonable cause to believe that a girl is over the age of 16 years, in charges of carnal knowledge of girls between the ages of 13 and 16 years under Section 5 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1885, does not apply to offences under Section 52 of the Offences 477 against the Person Act, 1861, of indecent assault on girls of similar ages, he will introduce legislation as early as possible to extend the law in this direction?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir John Gilmour)I am aware of the anomaly to which my hon. Friend refers, but in the present state of public business, I regret that I cannot see my way to introduce a Bill on this subject.