§ 52. Mr. Hydeasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to prevent convicted felons serving sentences of over 12 months from being candidates at Elections for the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeNo, Sir. This would mean making an exception, for which I am not satisfied that there is sufficient justification, from the established rule that the returning officer's jurisdiction does not extend to deciding whether a candidate is qualified or disqualified.
§ Mr. HydeIs my right hon. and gallant Friend aware that there is a considerable body of opinion, particularly in Northern Ireland, which feels that the ballot box should not be exploited and misused in this way? Will he look at the matter again in the light of this feeling?
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeThe duties of returning officers are rigidly laid down, and it would not be easy to make any departure from them without creating great difficulties. In any case, the instances are so few that I should not have thought it necessary to take any special action.
§ Mr. EdeWill the right hon. and gallant Gentleman bear in mind that it would be improper to impose upon returning officers the judicial decisions which would be involved, and will he take it from me that he has the full support of the Opposition for the attitude he is adopting?