§ Mr. PIKE(by Private Notice) asked the Home Secretary, in view of the fines inflicted yesterday at Sheffield upon Messrs. Sir W. C. Leng and Company, whether any special instructions have been issued to the Sheffield Chief Constable to the effect that no action should be taken against newspapers with offices in Sheffield other than the "Sheffield Daily Telegraph" until counsel's opinion on the legality of the competitions concerned is obtained; and, if so, on what grounds this discrimination has been made?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI should like to make it clear at the outset that in England responsibility for the enforcement of the law relating to betting rests with chief officers of police as part of their general responsibility for the maintenance of law and order, though it is of course open to any private person to initiate criminal proceedings. The Home Office is not a prosecuting authority, and yesterday's OFFICIAL REPORT incorrectly records the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to a supplementary question by my hon. Friend the Member for East Leicester (Mr. Lyons). What my right hon. Friend then said was that the proceedings in Sheffield were not taken by the Home Office. It is not within my province to issue instructions to the Chief Constable of Sheffield in a matter of this kind, and, in fact, no such instructions have been issued by me or with my authority to the Chief Constable.
§ Mr. PIKEIs the House to understand that the Chief Constable of Sheffield already possesses the power to issue summonses against all newspapers or publications guilty of an act under the Betting Act, 1853? If so, will the right hon. Gentleman ascertain at the earliest convenient date the reason why the Chief Constable of Sheffield has only taken action against the "Sheffield Daily Telegraph," while there are four other offices of four other publications in Sheffield competing daily with that paper and issuing identical competitions?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI think I have made it quite clear that the matter rests with the Chief Constable and the local police authority. If there is any question of detail, the Chief Constable must consult those advisers whom he has the power to consult. While I am aware that there are in all these matters great difficulties in coming to a decision as to the nature of a particular competition, undoubtedly full power rests with the Chief Constable of Sheffield.
§ Mr. PIKEIf that is the case, will the right hon. Gentleman tell the House why, yesterday, the Under-Secretary informed us that the Home Office were taking legal opinion before instituting further proceedings?
§ Sir J. GILMOURNo, Sir. If the hon. Member will study the answer that I have given, he will see that that was not the answer given by my right hon. Friend. The proper authority for taking opinion, it is true, is the local police authority, and that is not the Home Office.
§ Sir PERCY HARRISDo the various Chief Constables consult the Home Office? Does the right hon. Gentleman not think that it is desirable that there should be
§ common practice on matters of high policy
§ Sir J. GILMOUROn a great many matters there is, of course, consultation.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENWhy should there be four prosecutions, when one is enough to lay down the law?
§ Mr. THORNECan the right hon. Gentleman state when the Government are going to bring into operation the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Betting?