§ MR. E. H. PICKERSGILL (Bethnal Green, S.W.)In putting this Question may I ask if the right hon. Gentleman's attention has been drawn to the fact that the statement included in it has been repeatedly made in the Press—I do not at all personally vouch for it. I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the fact that 500 children under 10 years of age and 1,500 children under 14 years of age were arrested in one year in London for drunkenness; and will he state what information the Metropolitan Police possess respecting the extent of drunkenness among children during the year 1897?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENTI am not surprised at the hon. Member's disclaimer. I am afraid the hon. Member is very much misinformed. During the four years 1893–96 no children were taken into custody for drunkenness in the Metropolitan Police District who were under the age of 12, and only 73 who were under the age of 16. The figures for 1897 are not yet available.