§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what offences he is currently considering depenalising.
§ Mr. Alexander W. LyonWe have recently asked the Advisory Council on the Penal System to undertake a major inquiry into the existing structure of maximum powers of sentence and we are always prepared to consider changes in the law governing the powers of the courts where the treatment of offenders will not be impaired and the public not put at unacceptable risk. In particular, we should like to see the prison pouulation reduced, and we hope it may be possible to continue to narrow the range of offences for which imprisonment is available, as has already been done in the road traffic field.