§ 9. Mr. McCrindleasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the numbers of children awaiting trial who, because of the shortage of remand homes, have been sent to prison.
§ Mr. LaneOn 31st May, 103 young persons aged 14 to 16 were awaiting trial in prisons and remand centres in England and Wales because courts had certified that they were too unruly to be committed to the care of a local authority.
§ Mr. McCrindleIs it not very unfortunate that any child should have his first experience of prison in that way? In view of the possible psychological damage, is my hon. Friend satisfied that the building programme for remand homes is adequate, particularly in the areas of greatest stress?
§ Mr. LaneWe are never satisfied with the programmes in any area. We should like to do still more. My hon. Friend's immediate suggestion is mainly one for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services, who is in very close touch with local authorities about plans to provide more secure accommodation of the kind that my hon. Friend has in mind. We shall press on with that as quickly as we can.
§ Mrs. KnightWill my hon. Friend consider the use of community homes instead of prisons, in this context? Some places, such as Hays Bridge in Surrey, take about half the number that they used to take. Would not it be better if the children were sent to community homes rather than prisons?
§ Mr. LaneVery much so, in every case where it is possible. But I am sure my hon. Friend agrees that there are special cases in which it is not possible or desirable. Out of the total figure that I gave in my original answer, there were 95 boys, of whom 86 were in remand centres. The other nine were in local prisons. Of those nine, six were charged with murder and required full-time medical oversight.