§ Mr. Piratinasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has authorised the ordinance in Cyprus which requires the permission of district commissioners for the collection of money or goods; what is the purpose of this ordinance; what are the principles on which the District Commissioner would either grant or refuse permission; and whether he will take steps to cancel this measure.
Mr. Creech JonesI assume the hon. Member refers to the Cyprus Street and House to House Collections Law, enacted by the Governor in October, 1948. My authority is not required for the enactment of legislation of this kind. The purpose of the law is to control street and house to house collections in the public interest. Licensing authorities are set up, to whom application must be made for permission to conduct a collection. It is only in rural areas that the licensing authority is the Commissioner of the district alone; in municipal areas it is the Commissioner, the Mayor, and the officer in charge of the Police in the district sitting together.
The law provides that no licence shall be granted if the purpose of the collection is, in the opinion of the licensing authority, illegal, fictitious or otherwise objectionable on grounds of public policy. Apart from this, licensing authorities have full discretion to grant or withhold permission; though I understand that the guiding principle applied is that the object of the collection should be charitable and that it should not offend the religious susceptibilities of the majority where the collection is to be made. The answer to the last part of the Question is in the negative.