HL Deb 27 May 1963 vol 250 cc554-5

2.13 p.m.

BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGER

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to bring the publication of the Home Office Research Unit on Persistent Criminals to the attention of those who are responsible for sentencing offenders.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE, HOME OFFICE (EARL JELLICOE)

My Lords, the Advisory Council on the Treatment of Offenders made full use of this Report in the course of their inquiry into preventive detention, and it has received wide publicity in the Press. It is not the general practice to take special steps to bring publications of this nature to the notice of the courts, and my right honourable friend saw no strong reason for doing so in this instance.

BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGER

My Lords, I thank the noble Earl for his Answer. Would he not consider that the cost of keeping one man in prison, when he might be more successfully dealt with otherwise, very greatly exceeds the cost of making known these publications to the chairmen of quarter sessions and others who have to sentence offenders? Might it not be worth while, not merely to advertise the publication to people directly concerned, but even to distribute copies in view of the fact that it contains very valuable information as to the probable results of different types of sentences?

THE EARL OF LISTOWEL

My Lords, may I ask the noble Earl whether he is aware that those responsible for aftercare are most anxious that the Judiciary should be in possession of the full information as to the consequences of sentences before they decide what a sentence should be?

EARL JELLICOE

I have a great deal of sympathy with the sentiments which the noble Earl has just expressed, but I think that one should bear in mind here the highly technical nature of this particular Report. It was felt, in view of that, that it was hardly caviare for the general—even for the court.

BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGER

Is the noble Earl implying that those who have to pass sentences are not capable of understanding this Report?

EARL JELLICOE

I was making no such rash assumption. Perhaps I could just add, for the information of the noble Baroness, that my right honourable friend has accepted the recommendation of the Streatfeild Committee, of which she was such a distinguished member, that all sentencers should be provided with a booklet giving comprehensive information about every type of sentence. It is hoped that this booklet will be issued later this year. Such a booklet would, of course, include information based on this particular Report.