§ 17. Lieut.-Colonel Liptonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prostitutes in the West End of London have in recent weeks been ordered to find a surety of £25 for good behaviour or go to prison for one month.
§ Mr. DeedesI am informed that in the nine weeks up to 23rd July the number was 11.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonIs the Joint Under-Secretary aware that, by imposing this penalty in appropriate cases, the vice racket operated by these property-owning procurers in the West End can be quickly ended? Why is not this penalty imposed in cases very well known to the police?
§ Mr. Ellis SmithSend the mounted police.
§ Mr. DeedesThe answer quite simply is that some magistrates do not like to deal with prostitutes in this way, because its effect, if the surety is not found, is to send the prostitute to prison, although the offence for which she has been convicted is punishable only by a fine.