HL Deb 29 June 1964 vol 259 cc430-2

2.42 p.m.

THE EARL OF LONGFORD

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 when they intend to announce their decision on the report of the Advisory Council on the Treatment of Offenders, which, in January 1963, recommended the abolition of preventive detention.]

LORD DERWENT

My Lords, the Government hope to make a statement shortly.

THE EARL OF LONGFORD

My Lords, may I ask whether that means before the House rises for the holidays?

LORD DERWENT

I am afraid I cannot give the noble Earl a date, but the Government will make every attempt to make a statement before the Recess.

THE EARL OF LONGFORD

Perhaps I might just ask whether the noble Lord is aware that preventive detention has no friends anywhere, and that almost everybody concerned with these ques- tions is utterly disgusted at the long delay involved.

LORD DERWENT

My Lords, I cannot agree that the delay is unduly long. The noble Earl will remember that it was a Labour Government which brought in preventive detention in order to deal with the very difficult problems of recidivism. Before doing away with it, as I have already said three times in your Lordships' House, this Government are determined that whatever takes its place shall be satisfactory.

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, a lot of water has flowed under the bridges since the last Labour Government, but may I ask the Minister this: Is he aware that there is to be an important debate held in your Lordships' House on a Motion introduced by my noble friend Lord Gardiner? Will the Minister use his best endeavours to see that we have a statement before that debate, because I think it would be very useful not only to your Lordships' House but to all people who are interested in this very important matter?

LORD DERWENT

My Lords, I am afraid I cannot add anything to my original Answer. As soon as we are ready to make a statement we will do so.

LORD SHEPHERD

But, my Lords, the noble Lord can use his best endeavours. Can he at least give me an assurance as to that?

LORD DERWENT

My Lords, "the noble Lord", as a matter of fact, does not actually decide what is going to happen. Until that is decided no statement can be made.

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that an answer precisely similar to the one he gave my noble friend Lord Longford was given me by his predecessor, Lord Jellicoe, in July of last year, when he then expressed the hope that an announcement would be made before the Summer Recess of that year? Can the noble Lord be a little more definite and assure us that he will get a statement of the Government's intentions before the end of this July?

LORD DERWENT

My Lords, I am afraid I can only repeat my original Answer that a statement will be made shortly.

LORD GARDINER

My Lords, does the noble Lord not think it rather hard on the courts, and perhaps the other persons concerned, to have this prolonged uncertainty over seventeen months with the courts not knowing what the position is going to be? Perhaps prisoners would have been dealt with quite differently if the Government had made up their minds within a reasonable time.

LORD DERWENT

My Lords, it may be that the original decision to introduce preventive detention was introduced too quickly and without adequate thought. We are not going to make the same mistake again.