§ SIR J. FERGUSSON (Manchester, N. E.)I beg to ask the Lord-Advocate whether his attention has been called to the frequent committals to prison of children by burgh magistrates in Scotland, notably in the Police Court of Kilmarnock, instead of sending them to industrial or reformatory schools; and whether the Secretary for Scotland will, in the interests of the children, take steps to prevent this practice.
MR. SCOTT DICKSONMy attention has been drawn to this matter, and communications have been on many occasions addressed by the Secretary for Scotland to the town clerks of Kilmarnock and of other burghs where committals of children to prisons instead of to industrial or reformatory schools frequently take place. The practice is one which cannot fail to have the most unfortunate effect upon children so committed, but the Secretary for Scotland has neither any power to control the action of the magistracy nor to compel the local authority to furnish the small weekly contribution which has to be paid from local sources in respect of children committed to industrial or reformatory schools.