§ 30. Mr. Lindgrenasked the Minister of Education whether he is aware of the practice in certain schools of the Northampton Local Education Authority to permit the interview of, and the taking of written statements from, children by police officers on school premises and in school hours without a parent of the children being present or being given the opportunity to be present; and whether he will advise the Northamptonshire Local Education Authority that such practices should be discontinued.
§ Mr. VosperI am aware of one case of this kind. The circumstances were exceptional, and my right hon. Friend does not propose to issue any advice on the subject to the local education authority.
§ Mr. LindgrenI thank the hon. Gentleman for that reply. With respect, may I contradict that this is an exceptional case? I agree that the case which has been under discussion with the education authority is exceptional. But, while not universal, the practice is common in Northamptonshire for both the chief constable and chief educational officer to take the view that the headmaster is the protector of the child during school hours, and is not that a fallacy in an interrogation of this kind where the parents have responsibility for a child?
§ Mr. VosperI said that I was aware of only one case, and I should be pleased to learn of any other cases of which the hon. Gentleman has knowledge. My hon. Friend the Joint Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department said, in answer to an earlier Question, that it was only in very exceptional cases that the parents would not be called in. I hope that that will be so in the future.
Mr. JenningsWould not my hon. Friend agree that a head teacher is acting within his rights—irrespective of what is said by the local authority—in refusing permission for a policeman to interview a child under such circumstances within the precincts of the school?
§ Mr. VosperI agree. In the case I have in mind the headmaster gave his permission.