HC Deb 01 July 1913 vol 54 cc1658-9
58. Mr RENDALL

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the fact that on the 4th June the acting chief inspector of reformatory and industrial school had never heard of a boy whose education on his admission to a reformatory was sufficiently advanced to admit of his being placed in Standard VII., he is aware that in 1912, out of about fifty boys entering the Kingswood, Bristol, reformatory, nine were placed in Standard VII. and three in Standard VI.; and whether he will consider the desirability, by administrative or legislative means, of seeing that higher education than is provided by these standards should be given to such boys?

Mr. GULLAND (Lord of the Treasury, for Mr. McKenna)

I find on inquiry that in 1912 nine boys were placed in Standard VII. on admission to the Kings-wood Reformatory School, but in seven of these cases it was afterwards found that the boys were unfit for that standard. The whole question of educational provisions in these schools is now under consideration in connection with the Report of the Departmental Committee.

Mr. BOOTH

Will there be any opportunity given to the House to discuss the Report?

Mr. GULLAND

The hon. Member had better ask that when the Report appears.

Mr. BOOTH

Can the hon. Gentleman say when the Report will be presented?

Mr. KING

Is it, not the fact that the Report came out two or three weeks ago?