HC Deb 25 July 1946 vol 426 cc199-200
25. Mr. William Shepherd

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of cases notified during the present year where court orders have been made against husbands for maintenance of their wives and children and where the payments have not been met.

Mr. Ede

; I regret that this information is not available.

Mr. Shepherd

Is it not a fact that the number of persons is large and that the police have no responsibility to seek these men any more than in an ordinary case of a summons for debt, and the ease with which it can be evaded is a temptation to increase the number?

Mr. Ede

There are a number of men who desire to evade their appropriate responsibility. The police do all they possibly can when a summons has been obtained to trace the person, but quite frequently very effective steps have been taken by the culprit to conceal all traces that will enable him to be followed.