§ 24. Mr. Dumpletonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether in view of the fact that a Departmental Committee is considering the question of the effect on children of attendance at the cinema, he will recommend to local authorities that local action to combat juvenile delinquency should, for the present, avoid any study of the role which cinema attendance may play in this matter locally.
§ Mr. EdeI agree that until we have the findings of the Departmental Committee on Children and the Cinema it would be better to defer any local inquiry into the influence of the cinema on children. Those concerned will no doubt bear this consideration in mind in acting upon the suggestions in the memorandum on juvenile delinquency which was recently sent to the heads of local authorities by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Education and myself.
§ Mr. DumpletonIs my right hon. Friend aware that there is no desire or intention in this Question to discourage local authorities taking an active concern in this problem, and can he say whether the report and findings of the Departmental Committee can be accelerated?