§ 32. Mr. Hastingsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children and young persons were detained in remand homes at the nearest convenient date; and how many of these were under 12 years of age.
§ Mr. DeedesDuring the last six months of 1955, the average daily number of children and young persons detained in local authority remand homes was 630. I regret that information about the number under the age of 12 is not available.
§ Mr. HastingsOught not that number to be available? Does the hon. Gentleman know that I happen to be chairman of a remand home under the direction of the Home Office and that in the home about a quarter to a third of the inmates are children under 12? Is not this an important matter which ought to have constant control and supervision?
§ Mr. DeedesI think it is under constant control and supervision, but most of these remand homes, as the hon. Member knows, are very small. They are small units with twenty, or not many more than twenty, children in them. Often it is not practicable to provide separate acommodation for the younger children. Care is,of course, taken about the segregation of the older children.