§ 38. Mr. K. Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive advice on proposed changes in the law of suicide from the Criminal Law Revision Committee.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerI cannot yet say. The Committee is aware that I am anxious to have its report this summer and I have no doubt that it will submit it as soon as it conveniently can.
§ Mr. RobinsonAs the right hon. Gentleman knows, I have been pressing him very patiently for over two years on this subject. Will he now go so far as to say that, subject to this matter being satisfactorily resolved by the Criminal Law Revision Committee, the Government will in the fairly near future introduce legislation to amend the law?
§ Mr. ButlerYes, I should like to do so. I think that it would be difficult to do it in this Session, but I think Chat we ought to do it in the near future, provided that the Report is satisfactory.
§ Miss BaconIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in this respect Scottish law is well ahead of our law in England, and will he do his best as quickly as possible to bring us up to the standards of Scotland?
§ Mr. ButlerWe have certainly borrrowed quite a lot from Scottish law lately, including diminished responsibility, and I must say that one's admiration for it increases.