Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 23 March 1964.
Mr Leo Abse
, Pontypool
12:00,
23 March 1964
Is not the Attorney-General aware that there is a growing body of opinion which thinks that it is degrading that a widow should be subjected to treatment which perhaps would be expected by a slave girl in a Persian market? Is not it really absurd to expect a judge—whatever a soothsayer may be able to do—to be able to assess whether a woman may get married or not? Is he further aware that, as a result of this unfortunate and uncertain method of assessing damages, widows are being spied on to ascertain whether they have friends whom they may be likely to marry? Is not it time that something involving a reform of the law was considered by the Government, or are they completely stuck in this present Session?