§ Mr. Robert Taylorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek powers to ban aerosol paint sprays in view of the public nuisance created by the spraying of slogans on buildings and hoardings in urban centres.
§ Mr. CarlisleNo. The use of aerosol paint sprays for legitimate purposes is widespread and the public interest as a whole would not be served by a ban. The spraying of slogans on buildings and 373W hoardings is to be deplored; the misuse of paint sprays for this purpose is an offence of damaging property under the Criminal Damage Act, 1971.