§ 4. Miss Herbisonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the longest period spent by a Borstal girl in Holloway Prison for the purposes of psychiatric treatment; and what steps are taken to transfer a girl back to Borstal or elsewhere for treatment, respectively, if she appears to be making no progress.
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeOver the last three years, the longest period spent by a Borstal girl in Holloway for the purpose of psychiatric treatment was one year, but the average period is very much less. The girl is returned to her training Borstal as soon as she is considered to have received the maximum benefit from her treatment and to be fit to return. If she is not considered fit, she may be retained for further medical observation or sent to an outside hospital for further treatment.
§ Miss HerbisonIs the Minister aware that many people in the country feel that it is very wrong indeed that any Borstal girl should spend any time at all in Holloway Prison; and is not the disclosure that one of these girls spent a year in Holloway Prison a very shocking disclosure indeed? Will the Home Secretary do everything he possibly can to find a place which will provide this treatment outside the prison?
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeI fully sympathise with what the hon. Lady has said with regard to Holloway. There are other difficulties. The cases that go there number about six a year, and their average stay is two or three months. It would 1090 be difficult to have a special place for such a few cases, but I am very much obliged to the hon. Lady for raising this matter.