§ 41. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now make a statement on the progress of his study of schemes for dealing with the state of the law regarding the remedies and rights to compensation of the victims of unlawful attacks upon their persons and property.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerI would refer the hon. and learned Member to the answer which I gave to his Question and to that of the hon. and learned Member for Ipswich (Mr. Foot) on 13th May.
§ Mr. HughesDoes not the Home Secretary realise that that Answer does not cover this Question? Does he realise that Britain lags behind other civilised countries in this respect? Does he further realise that it is hopeless to expect finance in this matter from the criminal who commits the damage because such criminals are generally impecunious—[Laughter.]—not always, but generally—and that here is a grave wrong awaiting remedy, especially in the case where the breadwinner is either killed or injured and his family left destitute? Will he look into this much-needed social reform?
§ Mr. ButlerI have looked carefully into the ideas of the late Miss Margery Fry which, in short, involve a scheme of national insurance on the same sort of basis as the Industrial Injuries scheme. The reform to which the hon. and learned Gentleman referred is a big question of principle on which I do not think there would be universal agreement. There is also the question of obtaining from the prisoners' earnings some sort of restitution for the victims of their crimes. That is a different problem. I have examined both questions, but I cannot undertake to get agreement in the near future.
§ Mr. HughesI regard that answer as thoroughly unsatisfactory and I give notice that I shall endeavour to raise the matter on the Adjournment, at an early date, because this is an urgent and much-needed social reform.