§ 54. Sir T. Mooreasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, as a result of his inquiries, he has now any information to give the House as to his intentions regarding a revision of the Criminal Justice Act, 1948, and the Homicide Act, 1957.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerThe report of the study of the Cambridge Department of Criminal Science on crimes of violence in the Metropolis, to which I assume that my hon. and gallant Friend is referring, is not yet available. As to the Homicide Act, I am glad to say that the monthly figures for murders recorded as known to the police in England and Wales in the six months September, 1957, to March, 1958, have been considerably lower than those for the months immediately after 113W the passing of the Homicide Act. The total for the six months was 92, which was slightly lower than the figure for the corresponding period in 1954–55. I shall continue to watch the situation closely, but experience so far does not suggest a need for amending legislation.