HC Deb 09 March 1995 vol 256 cc443-4
1. Mr. Nicholas Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to introduce legislation to enable courts to issue sentences of corporal punishment for certain crimes of violence.

The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. David Maclean)

Unfortunately, I have no plans to reintroduce corporal punishment into the sentencing powers of the criminal court.

Mr. Winterton

I am sorry to receive that reply. Does my hon. Friend accept that, despite the Government's herculean efforts to reduce crime in recent years, crime and the fear of crime continue to blight our lives? Does he not think that those young people who commit offences of violence against the individual should be in receipt of a dose of their own medicine and that the maxim "Spare the rod and spoil the child" is more appropriate and relevant today than ever before?

Mr. Maclean

My hon. Friend makes a very good point, which will strike a chord with many people in this nation. He is also right to talk about the fear of crime. Nevertheless, we must not forget that the last year for which figures are available saw a remarkable drop in levels of crime—down 5.5 per cent.—following a 1 per cent. drop the year before. I certainly accept my hon. Friend's point of view that a punishment of that kind would satisfy the desire of many people, but the deterrent value might be slightly more questionable. We have a wide range of penalties which, if they are used by the courts in all the appropriate circumstances, should be more than adequate for some of the young hooligans that we have to contend with today.

Mr. Maginnis

Is the Minister aware that, if he reconsidered his decision on that measure, it would have a significant effect in Northern Ireland in so far as it would bring the Government into line with the IRA Sinn Fein, to whose wishes, ethos and practices they have tried so hard to concede in the past few weeks?

Mr. Maclean

The hon. Gentleman lays a tempting trap, but it is not one into which I wish to step at present.