§ VISCOUNT SIMONMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government what is the number of crimes known to the police and classified as robbery with violence in the Metropolitan Police District in each of the years 1940 to 1949, in which the criminals concerned had provided themselves with implements of the, character of "coshes."]
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, the crime reports in the Metropolitan police district from which this information could be extracted have been destroyed for the years prior to 1944. As regards offences of robbery and assault with intent to rob known to the police since then, a search of the crime reports shows that the numbers of cases in which coshes or other blunt instruments were used were as follows: 1944, 28; 1945, 41; 1946, 43; 1947, 47; 1948, 45; 1949, 33.
VSCOUNT SIMONMy Lords, while thanking the Lord Chancellor very much for the trouble he has taken to obtain that information, may I put two questions arising out of his reply? I phrased my Question to refer to the classification of "robbery with violence," while appreciating that, of course, coshes might equally be found in connection with other crimes of violence committed for the purpose of stealing property—for instance, shopbreaking, housebreaking and so forth. I do not know whether it is possible for my noble and learned friend to tell the House whether the figures he has given refer strictly to robbery with violence (which, of course, was my Question), or whether they have any reference to analogous crimes of violence. Secondly, I would ask this: Can my noble and learned friend tell us whether consideration is being given to amending the law so that a man found in possession of an implement of this kind will be liable to be punished, as he is if 819 he is found in possession of housebreaking tools? I appreciate the difficulty, for of course it is easier to define housebreaking tools. I think a good many people would be relieved to hear that this matter was under consideration.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORWith regard to the second part of the question, I can tell the noble and learned Viscount that at the present time that matter is being considered by the Home Secretary with a great deal of sympathy. He is trying to evolve something on the lines suggested. The difficulty, as the noble and learned Viscount said, is one of definition. If that difficulty can be overcome we may be able to do something on the lines suggested. At any rate, as I say, the matter is now being considered. With regard to the first part of the noble and learned Viscount's question, of course it is possible that a man convicted of an offence which does not involve any violence at all might have in his possession some instrument which would be useful if he did get into a "spot of bother." I have therefore taken the trouble to ascertain where I might get the information for which the noble and learned Viscount asks, but unfortunately I cannot get it. There are no figures available, and any information given would be nothing more than an impression on the part of the police. The figures I have given relate exclusively to either robbery, or assault with intent to rob. I regret to say that I cannot give the noble and learned Viscount the further information for which he asks.
§ VISCOUNT SIMONI thank the noble and learned Viscount very much.