§ 32. Mr. OSWALD LEWISasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has yet come to a decision as to whether there is any action that he could usefully take for the better control of house-to-house collections and collections in such places as shop arcades and railway stations for charitable purposes in the Metropolitan Police District; and, in particular, whether he will make it obligatory for all persons taking part in such collections to have a permit from the police as recommended in the report of the Advisory Committee on Street Collections for 1933?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir John Gilmour)Since my hon. Friend asked me a question on the same subject in April, I have given the matter my careful consideration. As he is probably 192 aware, the Departmental Committee on the supervision of charities which reported in March, 1927, recommended among other things that a system, of licensing for door-to-door collections should be introduced, and this proposal was included in the Collecting (Charities (Regulation) Bill which was introduced by the Government in 1929. This particular proposal, however, met with great opposition and the Bill was not proceeded with. In the absence of any reason to suppose that there has been a material change of feeling I do not see my way to introduce fresh legislation for the purpose, and in any case there would be no opportunity for legislation this Session.