§ 40. Mr. Shepherdasked the Attorney-General if he is satisfied with the workings of the present law relating to libel; and whether he will consider the setting up of an inquiry into its reform.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe law of libel was comprehensively reviewed by the Porter Committee in 1948 and effect was given to the Committee's recommendations by the Defamation Act, 1952. I do not think there is any need for a further inquiry at the present time, but I shall be glad to consider any suggestions for reform which my hon. Friend may care to send me.
§ Mr. Hector HughesApropos the Attorney-General's observation that there is no need for such an inquiry at the present time, does he not realise that many recent events make an amendment of the law of libel urgently necessary and that an inquiry is, therefore, urgent and should be prosecuted at once?
§ The Attorney-GeneralWith respect, I should have thought that the facts were all fairly well known. It is a difficult question of balance in the law—to hold a balance between the right of the Press to give publicity to a matter and the very proper view, I think, that every citizen has a right to protection against unjust and untrue attacks which may be utterly ruinous to him if they get very wide publicity. While I appreciate the difficulty of holding this balance between those two public necessities, I should have thought that the facts were sufficiently well known at present and that an inquiry into them was not of itself necessary. As I have said to my hon. Friend, I am quite willing to consider any suggestions which may be made.