§ Mr. LOVAT-FRASERasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the widespread condemnation of the practice of sending young people to prison, he will promote legislation to enact that a person between the ages of 17 and 21shall not be sent to prison unless the court certifies that he is of so unruly a character that he cannot be detained in a remand home, or that he is of so depraved a character that he is not a fit person to be so detained?
Captain CROOKSHANKThe purpose of existing remand homes is primarily to provide for the detention of children and young persons under 17 until they canbe brought before a Court of Summary Jurisdiction or while on remand or awaiting trial, and there would be obvious objections to any general use of the same institutions for the reception of older offenders either before trial or under sentence. My right hon. Friend recognises that it is desirable that the committal to prison of young offenders should be avoided as far as possible, but he does not think that a solution of this difficult problem is to be found along the lines which the hon. Member suggests.
§ Mr. LOVAT-FRASERHas the Home Office studied the pronouncement of the Lord Chief Justice on this practice of sending boys and girls to prison?
Captain CROOKSHANKWhether we have studied it or not, it does not directly arise out of this question.
§ Mr. LOVAT-FRASERYes, it does.