§ Mr. W. R. Duckworthasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the small fines now being imposed on people for stealing motor cars; and whether, in view of the fact that the persons in most cases possess neither driving licences nor third-party insurance, he will take steps to ensure that the penalties should be more severe?
§ Sir S. HoareI have no information to suggest that the penalties imposed in these cases are inadequate. In 1938, 645 persons were found guilty by courts of summary jurisdiction of thefts of motor vehicles (including motor cycles), and of these 247 were sentenced to imprisonment without the option of a fine, and 123 were fined. In cases where the offender has also committed the offences of driving without a licence or without third-party insurance, these offences may be and often are the subject of separate charges.