29. Mr. ROSTRON DUCKWORTHasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the provision under the Children and Young Persons Act, 1933, making it an offence for a person habitually to wander from place to place with any child of school age who is not totally exempted from school attendance or unable to receive it, he can state the number of such children who have been brought into casual wards during the last year for which statistics are available?
§ Sir K. WOOD229 children between the ages of five and 14 years were admitted to casual wards in England and Wales during the year ended 31st March, 1936. I have no information to show how many of these children were totally exempted from school attendance.
Mr. DUCKWORTHHave any prosecutions taken place during the last 12 months against people for dragging young children through the country without any adequate means of education or supervision?
§ Sir K. WOODIf the hon. Gentleman will put down a question on the matter, I will give him the figures. I can tell him that action is being taken in many directions.