Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland. – in the House of Commons at on 2 May 1923.
Sir James Millar
, Fife Eastern
asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that the American Government intend to issue orders to vessels belonging to the American fleet to assist in preventing the landing in America of cargoes of rum and spirits, etc., carried by vessels engaged in rum-running and of the fact that large quantities of liquor are being consigned by British traders to British ports in the West Indies and elsewhere, which are being trans-shipped and carried along the American coasts on board vessels flying the British flag as well as by other vessels, he will say what steps he proposes to take to prevent the possibility of an armed conflict with vessels belonging to a friendly Power?
Mr Stanley Baldwin
, Bewdley
I have no official information with regard to the alleged intention of the United States Government to use vessels of the United States navy for preventive work, but I hesitate to believe that a friendly Power would attack British ships on the high seas. If, however, British ships break United States Laws within United States territorial waters, they naturally render themselves liable to any general measures of control which the United States Government may institute.
Sir James Millar
, Fife Eastern
Can the Government do anything to encourage the recognition and enforcement of the Laws of a friendly State by British subjects?
Mr Stanley Baldwin
, Bewdley
The British Government have every desire that their citizens should act in conformity with the Laws of friendly States.
Commander Hon. Joseph Kenworthy
, Kingston upon Hull Central
Have the Government let it be known to the Governors of the islands there that they do not look upon this traffic with favour?
Laws are the rules by which a country is governed. Britain has a long history of law making and the laws of this country can be divided into three types:- 1) Statute Laws are the laws that have been made by Parliament. 2) Case Law is law that has been established from cases tried in the courts - the laws arise from test cases. The result of the test case creates a precedent on which future cases are judged. 3) Common Law is a part of English Law, which has not come from Parliament. It consists of rules of law which have developed from customs or judgements made in courts over hundreds of years. For example until 1861 Parliament had never passed a law saying that murder was an offence. From the earliest times courts had judged that murder was a crime so there was no need to make a law.
