§ 3.5 p.m.
§ BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGERMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children and young persons have been admitted to Stamford House (London) Remand Home in the past six months; how many escapes from the Home have occurred during the same period; and what are the corresponding, figures for the same period a year earlier.]
THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (EARL BATHURST)My Lords, I hope the noble Lady will not think it discourteous of me if my Answer to her Question is very brief. During the last six months of 1960 there were 889 admissions to, and 158 abscondings from, the Stamford House Remand Home. The corresponding figures for the last six months of 1959 were 770 admissions and 107 abscondings.
§ BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGERMy Lords, I thank the noble Earl for his Answer. Is he satisfied, in view of these figures, that this remand home is correctly described as a "place of safety"?
EARL BATHURSTMy Lords, as the noble Lady very well knows, this remand home is not quite the ordinary type of remand home, in that it is a combined remand home and classifying centre. I 884 think the noble Lady well knows that there are great difficulties in trying to combine those two demands. Nevertheless, a security block is being built and will come into operation in April. The House system has already been brought into operation, and in fact so far this month, February, only eight abscondings have taken place, which is a very remarkable drop on those last year.
§ BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGERI thank the noble Earl for his answer.