§ Sir John WheelerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to make it an offence for a person deliberately to infect another with the HIV virus; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI have considered this matter very carefully in the light of the concern which has been expressed, and have looked at the precedents in other countries. I have concluded, however, that there are difficulties both of principle and of practice in bringing this type of behaviour within the scope of the criminal law and I am not persuaded that these difficulties have been overcome in other jurisdictions. I, therefore, have no plans to introduce legislation to make the deliberate transmission of the HIV virus a criminal offence.