HC Deb 12 November 1959 vol 613 c61W
60. Mr. Osborne

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in order to avoid undesirable exhibitionism and demonstration by a minority of the public on the occasion of the hanging of a murderer, he will ensure that in future all hangings shall be done in secret; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. R. A. Butler

No. I am required by Section 11 (2) of the Homicide Act, 1957, to publish the time and place of an execution. It would be wrong to conceal the date, and I do not think that an attempt to conceal the time would prevent crowds assembling at the prison.