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3.
enable him to commute every death sentence as a matter of course - he should only commute a sentence in the light of the relevant circumstances and not merely because some members of Parliament were opposed to it.
7.
Traditionally the issue of capital punishment has always been raised by a Back-Bencher. However, I suggest
that in this case the matter should be debated on a Government Motion, because it is a matter concerning the population of the overseas dependencies for which the Government has a more direct responsibility; and because the Creech-Jones doctrine was a government measure and it would be more appropriate for the Government to move
to modify it. I attach a draft of the sort of wording 1 would prefer.
8. I invite my colleagues to concur in these proposals.
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