§ 79. Mr. Blackburnasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will issue a direction and circular forbidding or advising against the holding of general investigations by police officers into the character and antecedents of accused persons before trial.
§ Mr. EdeThe courts expect the police to be in a position to give information about these matters after they have decided to convict so that they may be able to assess the appropriate method of dealing with the offender. Inconvenience and expense would be caused to all concerned, and the interests of the defence itself might be prejudiced, if inquiries were not instituted until after the trial, with the result that every convicted person would have to be remanded for inquiriies to be made as to his character and antecedents.