§ 29. Mr. Lovat-Fraserasked the Home Secretary whether he will without delay introduce legislation to prohibit the infliction of repeated sentences of corporal punishment upon children by juvenile courts, in view of recent cases which have occurred at Aldershot and elsewhere; to which his attention has been 1345 drawn, and in view of the growing public dislike of the infliction of corporal punishment?
§ Sir J. SimonThe question of amending the law was fully discussed in 1932 in connection with the Children and Young Persons Bill, and the proposals contained in the Home Office Bill are well known. Parliament, however, then decided that the power to order birching should be retained. The Government cannot undertake further legislation on this subject at present.
§ Mr. ThorneDoes the right hon. Gentleman really think that birching a bad boy will make him any better?