§ 1 Mr. Awberyasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the method of displaying goods for sale in many large stores constitutes a temptation to children and adults visiting them and is the cause of much pilfering; and if he will introduce legislation to ensure that such goods shall always be protected by glass screens.
§ Mr. N. MacphersonMy right hon. Friend has seen Press reports on this subject. He does not think that this is a suitable matter for legislation by his Department.
§ Mr. AwberyIs the Minister aware that it is not only our duty to punish criminals, but also our duty to remove the temptation that causes the crime? Is he also aware that in my division a large number of young people have been prosecuted for pilfering, that these young people are not inherently criminals or thieves but that the temptation is put before them and they pick these things up almost unknowingly? Is he aware that a lady wrote to the Press last week complaining that she had picked up something inadvertently and returned it when she discovered it after leaving the stores? [HON. MEMBERS:" Speech."] Will the Minister have a look at the problem of the temptation to young people in these big stores?
§ Mr. MacphersonThis is not a new problem, and bookshops have displayed their goods openly for a very long time indeed, with a view to lowering the cost of distribution and of giving increased facilities for shopping. I do not think that we could interfere with this