Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 5 March 1965.

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Photo of Mr Charles Hale Mr Charles Hale , Oldham West 12:00, 5 March 1965

Yes, but it does not matter if I cannot find a copy, because I think that I can recollect them.

We have discussed in Committee at some length many Amendments on most of the major questions relating to capital punishment or its abolition. The right hon. Member for Ashford spoke about decisions which have been taken in the House during the last 21 years on this topic. I am pleased to inform him that the first hon. Member for Oldham, West voted for the abolition of capital punishment in the House in 1838. It is not quite fair, therefore, to say that this issue has not been fairly fully before the public for a considerable time.

We are at present discussing in the Committee upstairs the question of murder by shooting or explosion. The Amendment on this which we are discussing is obviously not particularly wide and therefore we do not have a very wide ambit for discussion. On several occasions the Chairman has given rulings calling attention to the ambit of the Amendment, although there are other Amendments being discussed with it.