§ 66. Mr. KINGasked the Home Secretary whether Birkenhead has relatively to population a larger amount of juvenile crime than any other large town, and that the elementary schools of Birkenhead charge fees in an exceptionally large number of places; and whether he will confer with the President of the Board of Education as to the best steps for removing from Birkenhead its evil repute and condition in connection with its juvenile population?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. McKenna)I am aware that the number of persons dealt with in the Juvenile Court at Birkenhead is large in proportion to the population, but it does not follow that there is more juvenile crime in this town than in other towns of the same class. I am informed that it is the case that a large proportion of the school places are in fee-charging schools, but there is nothing to indicate that this has any connection with the amount of petty crime. The Board of Education are already in correspondence with the local education authority upon the question of school accommodation in Birkenhead.