§ MR. WEDGWOOD (Newcastle-under-Lyme)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the importance of preventing children and young persons from being sent to prison in default of payment of fines, the Government will consider giving facilities to the Youthful Offenders Bill.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. GLADSTONE, Leeds, W.)The effect of the Probation of Offenders Bill which is now before this House will be to substitute in many cases a new mode of dealing with offenders for fine and imprisonment. I hope that the provisions of the Bill, if it passes into law, will be specially taken advantage of in juvenile offender cases. Much as I sympathise with the object my hon. friend has in view, I am afraid special facilities cannot be given to this Bill.