Cyn MP ar gyfer North Dorset
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now bring in quarantine regulations against rabies for cattle and sheep, and especially for those coming from North-West Europe.
Is the hon. Gentleman aware that imports of substantial numbers of cattle from Northern Europe are expected and that published figures show that the incidence of rabies in recent years in these areas has been nearly four times as great among cattle as among dogs and cats? Will he at least warn the importers of those dangers?
The right hon. Gentleman uses the expression "abolishing capital punishment". Is he aware that in recent Parliamentary Answers from the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence I have been given figures which show that just over 20 per cent. of all executions carried out since 1939 were for offences other than murder? These offences were treason, treachery, mutiny and other Service offences,...
Surely the right hon. Gentleman is aware that that is because procedural objection has been taken to the same jury finding a man guilty of murder and choosing the penalty. Because of this, capital punishment has not been carried out in America. But when the legal wrangle is settled, something else may be done.
After the many interesting and sincere speeches we have heard I believe that this debate boils down to the question whether or not capital punishment is a deterrent. This has been considered already, but there are one or two aspects of it which have not been dealt with. A number of hon. Members from both sides of the House have spoken as though we were proposing to abolish capital punishment...
The offence with which the train robbers were charged was the robbery of about £2 million. The serious offence of injuring a train driver was not the offence for which they were sentenced. I put my Question to the Home Office in the form—
No. I must clear this question up.
I worded my question to the Home Office carefully. I have quoted the answer. If hon. Members do not like the answer, they must refer to the Home Office, not to me.
