§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the growing practice of persons in demonstrations throwing dangerous missiles and physically assaulting the person with whom they disagree, and the sentences at present available to the courts for such offences, he will seek to increase the penalties for these types of offence.
§ Mr. WhitelawThe case for a specific offence of missile throwing and related penalties, which the Select Committee on Home Affairs found unjustified, is being considered in the course of my review of the Public Order Act 1936 and related legislation. I am satisfied about the adequacy of the maximum penalties generally available to the courts for offences of assault, which include, on conviction on indictment, one year's imprisonment for common assault, five years' imprisonment for assault occasioning actual bodily harm or for malicious wounding, and life imprisonment for causing grievous bodily harm.