HC Deb 28 June 1948 vol 452 cc1850-1
Mr. Younger

I beg to move in page 5, line 11, after "induces," to insert "or persistently attempts to induce."

This Clause sets out certain offences, and it was suggested in Committee that those offences should be widened. It is already an offence in respect of a child in the care of a local authority, who is subject to a resolution, for any person knowingly to assist or induce the child to run away or to harbour or conceal the child and prevent him from returning to the place from which he has run away. The Amendment widens that and makes it an offence if anyone persistently attempts to induce the child to run away. That is not as wide as some of the suggestions made in Committee, but I hope that it will meet the wishes of the Committee.

Mr. Hopkin Morris (Carmarthen)

What do the words persistently attempts to induce mean? I can understand what inducement to run away means, but what does attempting to induce mean? Would not "attempt" be an inducement itself? If it is not an inducement, what is it?

Mr. Younger

I should have thought that if one induces someone to run away, it indicates that one is successful. One might persistently attempt to do it and be unsuccessful in inducing the child to run away.

Mr. Hopkin Morris

Any inducement to a person to run away is still an inducement, although it may be that the inducement is not successful.

Amendment agreed to.