§ 47. Sir W. Davisonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider if any useful public purpose is served by the publication in the Press of private details of the wills of individuals, which are not matters of public concern, seeing that the information can always be obtained on personal application to Somerset House?
§ The Attorney-General (Sir Donald Somervell)I have been asked to reply. As far as legal administration is concerned, I know of no useful purpose which is served by the publication referred to.
§ Sir W. DavisonWould not the hon. and learned Gentleman be very angry if I were to ask him to tell me what he proposed to leave to his wife or brother—
§ Mr. SpeakerThat does not seem to arise out of the question.
§ Sir W. DavisonMay I put it in this way? Why should the Press, in order to gratify idle curiosity, be entitled to publish information on my hon. and learned Friend's death which he would be very angry if it were asked for while he was alive?
§ The Attorney-GeneralI think that I have answered the question on the Paper. The question as to whether there should be a prohibition on the Press of publishing information which is available to the public is, of course, a much wider question, and I think that it is true, quite apart from this particular matter, that many private details appear in the Press which do not, in the terms of the question of my hon. Friend, serve any useful purpose.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsHow should we know how much money people have lost in their lifetime unless we know how much they have left?
§ The Attorney-GeneralYou cannot find out how much money they have lost by reading their wills.