§ 40. Mr. Osborneasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will set up a Departmental Committee to review the whole question of capital and corporal punishment in respect of murder and crimes of violence, in the light of legislative developments since 1938 and the current increase in the number of such crimes.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerNo, Sir. As at present advised, I do not think it would be appropriate to set up such a Departmental Committee.
§ Mr. OsborneIn view of the fact that the last Departmental Committee reported in 1938 and that the general public feels that, since then, during the intervening twenty years, there has been a considerable increase in crimes of violence, will not my right hon. Friend have another Committee to investigate the matter, particularly as the last Committee was asked whether there was any especially effective deterrent? Will he please look at the matter again and so help to allay public feeling outside?
§ Mr. ButlerIt is not that I do not want to investigate; we have set in motion certain inquiries and we are collecting some statistics, with the aid of the Department of Criminal Science of Cambridge University. I have new research methods at work, and when I am clearer as to the position I will review the matter, in the light of what my hon. Friend has said.