HC Deb 27 February 1964 vol 690 cc614-6
20. Mr. C. Johnson

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the strength of the inspectorate concerned with approved schools; how frequently such schools are inspected; and, in particular, when were the last two occasions upon which inspections were carried out at Greenacres, Calne, Wiltshire.

Mr. Brooke

The number of children's department inspectors who are normally concerned with approved schools is 36. The aim is that each approved school shall be visited by an inspector at least six times a year. Apart from a visit on 30th January, 1964, in connection with the hon. Member's recent letter to me, Greenacres School was last visited on 21st November, 1963, and 6th January, 1964.

Mr. Johnson

Is the Home Secretary satisfied, from the reports made by inspectors as a result of their inspections, that comparable conditions apply in all schools as regards the treatment of pupils and, particularly, the imposition of punishments?

Mr. Brooke

Yes, Sir; but I should like to give a fuller answer in reply to the hon. Gentleman's next Question.

Miss Bacon

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that most of the trouble is due to the fact that many approved schools are run by self-appointed local committees which are responsible to nobody? Is it not the case that the managers of this particular approved school are a local committee not under any form of democratic control whatever? When will the right hon. Gentleman take action with regard to the whole of the approved school system?

Mr. Brooke

I cannot accept the argument about "most of the trouble" as though there were constant trouble regarding the management of approved schools. In fact, there are very few complaints about it, and I should hesitate to say that local authority schools were better run than voluntary approved schools, or vice versa.

21. Mr. C. Johnson

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent his Department controls punishments imposed at approved schools; and what are the conditions governing the use of detention rooms at such schools.

Mr. Brooke

The range of punishments is prescribed in the approved school rules. Within the permitted range, the punishment imposed in a particular case is a matter for the school, but all punishments are reported quarterly to the Home Office. The rules also prescribe conditions for the use of detention rooms, the most important of which are that there shall be means of communication with a member of the staff and that detention shall not be continued for more than 24 hours without the written consent of one of the school managers.

Mr. Johnson

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, as a result of the publicity arising from the recent case on which I have had correspondence with his Department, it appears that the particular school concerned has a rather bad record in this respect and that correspondence I have received suggests that there is a great disparity in the imposition of punishments? Is it not most desirable, therefore, that his inspectorate should see that punishments approximate to one another from school to school and are not dependent, as they seem to be in this case, upon the enterprise of the local managers?

Mr. Brooke

As I think the hon. Gentleman knows, I am deeply concerned about a particular matter which occurred at this school. At the same time, I am informed that it is the first serious complaint regarding a punishment in this school for 10 years. I am extremely anxious to get the matter thoroughly cleared up, and I should be pleased to have a talk with the hon. Gentleman about it, if he would like that.

Mr. Johnson

May we assume from that reply that it is the desire and intention of the right hon. Gentleman that it should not matter to anyone sent to an approved school whether he or she goes to one or another school, and that there should be comparable standards in regard to punishments and detention rooms throughout the whole system?

Mr. Brooke

It must matter whether they go to one or another because some approved schools are for Roman Catholic children and some are not. But I am in process of revising the approved school rules, and all approved schools must see that the rules are adhered to.