§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the weight of the birch used by the police in the infliction of floggings.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Alters-Douglas.) It doss not rest with me to prescribe a standard of weight for birches to be used by police under the direction of magistrates, and my information as to the practice in the matter is confined to the Metropolitan Police District, where I understand the weight of the birches used (for boys under fourteen years of age) does not exceed six ounces.