§ LORD MUIR MACKENZIEMy Lords, the noble Earl, Lord Beauchamp, has placed on the Paper the following Question: "To ask His Majesty's Government what steps have been taken in regard to the Criminal Law Amendment Bill which was mentioned in the gracious Speech from the Throne." The noble Earl is not able to be present at this moment because he is occupying the chair at a meeting, and is 33 exercising what the Committee for Privileges would have called another public function. I promised him that if he were not here in time I would ask the Question for him. The noble Earl did not furnish me with a manuscript of the speech which I have no doubt he would have addressed to your Lordships and, therefore, I cannot expect to deal with the matter so ably as he would have done, but I am able to put it very briefly, knowing that your Lordships desire to get on to other business.
Those who were very much interested in the Bill mentioned in the Question were very much encouraged at the beginning of the session by finding that the Government had taken up the matter and were going to introduce a Bill in another place. Therefore, those who had brought Bills into this House in previous sessions to deal with the subject thought they would not put your Lordships to the trouble of again dealing with the matter to whi.ch you had given a great deal of attention in former sessions, and had come not only to an agreement here, but also to agreements on propositions which were accepted in another place. A certain unfortunate catastrophe at the very last moment of last session lost the Bill. We were in hopes that a matter which stood in such a favourable position would have been quickly disposed of by both Houses.
We have now nearly arrived at Easter, one of the landmarks of the session, and as far as I can make out nothing has been done in another place, and so far from our having gained a great advantage we have the disappointment of finding that we seem to be likely to fall into the unfortunate position which has lost the Bill upon other occasions. The noble Earl, Lord Beauchamp, has therefore put down this Question hoping to receive some assurance from the Government that they are resolutely determined to get this matter, upon which at the present stage there is general agreement, passed through both Houses of Parliament before the end of the session, in whatever manner that may arise.
THE LORD BISHOP OF LONDONMy Lords, I should like to add a word to what has been so well said by the noble Lord who has just sat down. We were enormously encouraged—I have brought this matter before your Lordships two or three times already—by seeing in the gracious Speech from the Throne that this 34 was one of the Bills of the session. I need not say that our disappointment would be very great indeed if that promise were not fulfilled. Our efforts in proceeding by private Bill have stopped, naturally. We felt that the Government had taken the matter up and we would leave it to them. There is the same strong case for the Bill that there was when I addressed your Lordships on the matter at great length. Public opinion is just as strong for it as it was then. I hope, therefore, that we shall have an encouraging reply from the noble Earl who is so favourably disposed to the Bill.
THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY OF THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH (THE EARL OF ONSLOW)My Lords, I hope to give an answer which the noble Lord and the right reverend Prelate will consider to be favourable. The noble Lord said, I think, that nothing had yet been done by the Government in this matter, but I would point out to him that the Bill has already been introduced in another place. It is true that it has not proceeded to a Second Reading, but the reasons for that will be familiar to those of your Lordships who sat in another place. The urgent business of the early part of the session was mainly financial and it was necessary that it should be taken at once. Therefore, precedence had to be given to that business, and it has not been possible, so far, to find time for the Second Reading of the Criminal Law Amendment Bill. But I can give my noble friend and the right rev. Prelate the assurance that the Government intend to proceed with the Bill at the earliest possible opportunity. I am not, however, I am sorry to say, in a position to give to your Lordships an indication of the date at which the Second Reading and the further stages of the Bill will be reached in another place, but I can ass are the noble Lord and your Lordships that the Government intend to proceed with the Bill at the earliest possible opportunity.
§ Loan MUIR MACKENZIEI am very much obliged to the noble Earl.