§ 44. Mr. Pearsonasked the Home Secretary whether the men sentenced for the Mayfair jewel robbery have undergone any part of the sentence of a varying number of strokes of the cat?
§ Sir S. HoareI am informed that the full sentences of the court were carried out on the 1st instant.
§ Sir Gifford FoxDoes not my right hon. Friend think this would be a good punishment for all those convicted of sabotage or giving away official secrets?
§ Mr. Pethick-LawrenceHas the attention of the right hon. Gentleman been called to the sadistic effect of these sentences on a section of the public, and in view of that and the grave consequences to all men who are sentenced to this form of punishment, will he seriously consider bringing such form of punishment to an end?
§ Sir S. HoareThe hon. Gentleman has raised a much wider question, and I could not answer it in the form of a supplementary answer.
§ Mr. Godfrey NicholsonDoes not my right hon. Friend deplore the undue publicity given to the execution of these sentences by a section of the Press and by questions in Parliament? Has there been any leakage of information from the prison, and, if so, will he take action?
§ Sir S. HoareI have answered the question on the Paper, and perhaps my hon. Friend would like to put down another question.