§ MR. WEDGWOODI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will insert in the Bill relating to children's offences now being prepared by him provisions to enable a fine inflicted on an offender under the age of sixteen to be recovered against the parent, except the parent shall satisfy the Court that the offender is beyond his control, and to suspend the execution of a sentence of imprisonment, whether in default of a fine or not, passed by a Court of summary jurisdiction on such an offender, until it has been confirmed by the Home Office.
§ * THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. GLADSTONE,) Leeds, W.Section 2 of the Youthful Offenders Act, 1901, imposes liability on parents and guardians for offences committed by children under sixteen in certain cases, and I do not think it would be practicable or just to push that liability further. Nor do I think it would be right to impose on a Government Department such a duty as is indicated in the latter part of the Question. When offences against the law are committed by persons under sixteen the question what punishment, if any, should be imposed must be decided, as in other cases, by the judicial tribunals that hear the evidence and have the defendants in person before them.