HC Deb 14 March 1994 vol 239 c502W
Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to make it a criminal offence to make payments to convicted criminals, their relatives, or agents for publishing, by any means, details of their criminal past or crimes.

Mr. Maclean

None. It would not be feasible to devise legal restraints sufficiently broad to prevent criminals, or their associates, from profiting from published accounts of their criminal activities, while at the same time avoiding unjustifiable restrictions on media reporting of matters of legitimate public interest. Enforcement could be particularly difficult since payment could be made indirectly, covertly or outside the jurisdiction of the courts.