§ 17. Mr. LAWSONasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that cases have occurred in which magistrates have sentenced young boys who were first offenders to be birched; and whether he is prepared to take steps to prevent this in future?
§ Sir H. SAMUELI am aware that under Section 10 of the Summary Jurisdiction Act, 1879, a Court of Summary Jurisdiction is empowered in the case of an indictable offence tried summarily to order a child under 14 to be whipped by a police officer whether for a first or subsequent offence. In the Children and Young Persons Bill now before Parliament it is proposed to repeal this provision.