§ 50. Brigadier-General SPEARSasked the Home Secretary whether he will consider introducing legislation to amend Section 4 of the Vagrancy Act, 1824, so that sleeping out without visible means of subsistence shall cease to be an offence?
§ Sir J. GILMOURAs I stated in reply to a question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for the Wrekin (Colonel Baldwin-Webb) on the 3rd instant, I am arranging for inquiry to be made as to the use which is made of this provision. The hon. and gallant Member will appreciate that until the result of this inquiry is available it is not possible for me to express any definite opinion as to the need for an amendment of Section 4 of the Vagrancy Act. I fully recognise, however, the strength of the feeling which exists on this matter, and I intend to go into it very thoroughly.
§ Brigadier-General SPEARSWill the right hon. Gentleman consider issuing orders to the police pending the results of this inquiry not to arrest persons who could only be charged with the offence of sleeping out?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI am afraid I have no authority to issue such orders but the inquiry that I am making will, no doubt, draw the attention of the police authorities to the whole problem.
§ Brigadier-General SPEARSAs for the time being sleeping out is to remain an offence for one section of the community, would the right hon. Gentleman consider making the law equal for all classes by having hikers, campers and caravaners who are sleeping out in contravention of the Vagrancy Act arrested and suitably punished, as was Thomas Parker?