HC Deb 03 December 1952 vol 508 cc1546-7
24. Mrs. White

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies for what period the Kenya Penal Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 1952, is in force, which enables a court to prohibit a person convicted of receiving, conveying or possessing stolen property from pursuing a trade or business, for a named period or permanently, if the offence was committed in the course of such trade or business.

Mr. Lyttelton

There is no time limit to the operation of this Ordinance.

Mrs. White

Would the right hon. Gentleman not agree that to make this kind of Ordinance a permanent change in the penal code is not really in keeping with the undertaking he gave to the House that controversial legislation should be of only one year's duration and would then lapse? Would he, therefore, assure us that this particular Ordinance will be revoked when the other emergency ordinances come to an end?

Mr. Lyttelton

No, Sir, I cannot give that assurance, because this is not a controversial piece of legislation.

Mrs. White

It is.

Mr. Lyttelton

No objections to the Ordinance were made when it was considered by the Legislative Council, and the African representative member spoke in support. Moreover, it happens to be modelled upon a section of the United Kingdom Goods and Services (Price Control) Act, 1941, which imposes similar penalties for offences committed under the Act.