§ 27. Mr. Wylieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will restore the former practice of the Scottish Information Office, in the case of a convicted prisoner who escapes from custody, of disclosing the crime or offence of which he was convicted as well as the sentence imposed, apart from exceptional cases where it might reasonably be regarded as prejudicial to the accused to do so.
§ Mr. RossNo. Sir. My Department is not in a position to decide whether this information is likely to be prejudicial in a particular case.
§ Mr. WylieWould the right hon. Gentleman accept from me that in Scotland there is deep-rooted concern about the state of crime generally and that anything which appears to make more difficult the publication of information about crime, as this appears to do, leaves the public mind no less uneasy? Would he not further accept that the advice which he received from the Lord Advocate is entirely consistent with the very modest request contained in my Question?
§ Mr. RossI can assure the hon. and learned Gentleman that my Answer was given on the advice of the Lord Advocate himself. There is no question here of restricting what the Press may publish. The question is whether what the Press publishes would be prejudicial. As the hon. and learned Gentleman is aware, this matter arose out of a book which was published for the guidance of newspapers. The Scottish Office and the Scottish Information Office cannot prejudge what the courts might decide in particular cases.