§ 15. Mr. Shinwellasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider introducing legislation regarding the abolition of capital punishment.
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeI would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Lewis) on 14th July.
§ Mr. ShinwellAs that was a negative reply, may I ask whether the right hon. and gallant Gentleman does not agree that there is evidence of a change in public opinion on this matter and indeed a change of opinion among hon. Members? Has he taken note of the anomalous position disclosed in connection with a case tried recently in Germany where, because of the peculiarity of the law there, the person concerned was not executed, although had he committed a similar crime here he would have been executed? Would the right hon. and gallant Gentleman not agree that the time has arrived when the Government might consider the introduction of legislation which would be more consistent with the morals of a civilised country?
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeAll that is a matter of opinion, and these opinions are very sincerely held on both sides. In the debate last February I gave, as clearly as I could, the reasons why the Government did not propose to recommend the abolition of the death penalty or the acceptance of the Motion for abolition for an experimental period. I gave three reasons, and the last was that I was not satisfied that there was a demand for it by public opinion in this country. On that day the House of Commons supported my view. I do not think that this is a matter which can be decided on the merits or demerits of any particular case. As I said earlier, I do not think it is a subject which we can debate at Question Time.
§ Mr. ShinwellDoes not the right hon. and gallant Gentleman agree that public opinion changes from time to time, and that it might be worth his consideration to ascertain the opinion of hon. Members? I understood him, in reply to an earlier Question, to refer to amending legislation in connection with penal reform. Would he not at the same time consider the desirability of at any rate ventilating the subject of the abolition of capital punishment when he introduces that legislation?
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeThis is a matter which is always being considered. During the last debate I referred to that amending legislation specifically before I came to the question of the abolition of capital punishment. I gave very clear reasons because of which, rightly or wrongly, the 543 Government could not accept the proposition on capital punishment, and I have no reason to alter that at the moment. I go further and say that I see no alteration in public opinion since that time.