HC Deb 23 June 1960 vol 625 cc674-5
38. Mr. Rankin

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that figures for the ill-treatment of children are the highest for many years; and what he proposes doing to improve this situation.

Mr. Vosper

I am glad to say that the number of persons found guilty of cruelty to children by the courts in England and Wales has been falling fairly steadily in recent years and in 1959 was the lowest since the end of the war.

Mr. Rankin

That Answer is not true. Is the right hon. Member not aware—my correspondence shows it—that since this Question was tabled many people in this country have been agitated by the fact that the figures in the last year's Report are the highest for many years and are not unique in the sense that they show a trend which has been manifest for the last three or four years? If the right hon. Gentleman contradicts that, I should like to see his evidence. In view of those figures, will not he consider giving to the National Society a percentage of the total contributions in any one year in order that more inspectors may be appointed to deal with this problem?

Mr. Vosper

The hon. Member may be confused. The reference which I gave is to the number of convictions. These have fallen from a peak of 1,076 in 1951 to an all-time low record of 653 in 1959. That is to be welcomed. I appreciate the point the hon. Member made, which refers to the number of cases which have been reported. It may well be that the public have been more alert in reporting cases. I appreciate that there is concern about this and I intend to examine these figures further.

Miss Bacon

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is a good deal of public concern about some of the cases which come before the courts? Does he not agree that there is a tendency to leave all action in this matter to the N.S.P.C.C.? Will not he make an appeal to the public and also see that the police are much more vigilant and do not leave everything to the voluntary society?

Mr. Vosper

One point which we must welcome is that the public have reported more cases, which is revealed in the Report to which the hon. Member referred. The whole of this question is within the terms of the Ingleby Committee, whose Report we shall see fairly shortly. I think that this Question may have served some purpose, for public opinion can be of the greatest help in this matter.

Mr. S. Silverman

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell the House in what proportion of the cases prosecuted to conviction was the prosecuting authority the N.S.P.C.C. and in what proportion was it the public authority?

Mr. Vosper

I cannot answer that without notice, but I think that it was in the minority of cases that the N.S.P.C.C. laid the information as the prosecuting authority.