§ Mr. Colvinasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward legislation to make unlawful entry an offence under criminal law.
§ Mr. WhitelawIt is already a criminal offence to gain entry to property, against the will of a person on the property, by the use or threat of violence; or to trespass on property in possession of a weapon without lawful authority or excuse. Moreover, anyone who trespasses on property with intent to steal or to inflict grievous bodily harm, or to commit rape or cause unlawful damage, is guilty of the offence of burglary. As I indicated, however,632W when replying to a supplementary question by my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, South (Sir W. Clark) on 21 July—[Vol. 28 c. 402–403.]—I shall be considering the general state of the law in this field in consultation with my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor and my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General.