§ 3.19 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the facts behind the report in the Sunday Express of July 10 in regard to the alleged behaviour of the pupils at Kneesworth Hall approved school, the composition of the school and the action by the police in regard to alleged offences.]
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, Knees-worth Hall is an approved school for boys between 13 and 15 on admission. It is managed by a local voluntary committee and specialises in the training of selected boys of high intelligence. Like all approved schools it is an open institution. My right honourable friend will consider carefully any representations that may be made to him about the boys' behaviour; meanwhile he is making immediate inquiries as to the facts.
LORD SALTOUNMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for that Answer, and I am quite sure that he started to inquire into the matter long before I was even half-way to putting down my Question. I would, if I may, ask him one or two supplementary questions. First, is it the case, as was stated in the article, that boys against whom no charge has been made and who come from broken homes are sent to this school and mix with boys who have committed offences and are probably contaminated by them?
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, it has always been the practice to send both offenders and children in need of care and protection to the same approved schools. As the noble Lord is probably aware, the Ingle by Committee considered the desirability of continuing this practice, and they concluded that the risk of offenders contaminating the non-offenders was more apparent than real. They recommended that no change should he made in the existing practice, and children committed to approved schools, for whatever reason, are sent to the school thought to be most suitable. At Knees- 204 worth Hall only one non-offender is there at present, out of a total of 44 boys.
§ Lord PEDDIEMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether boys are sent to approved schools according to their intelligence quotient? Is that the normal practice?
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, it is the practice to send boys to the approved schools which are regarded as being most suitable for them. As I said in my original Answer, Kneesworth Hall school specialises in boys with a higher level of intelligence.
LORD SALTOUNMy Lords, may I also ask one further question? In the article it was attributed, by implication, to the authorities of the school that successes in examinations outweighed any harm which the continued practice of successful dishonesty would entail on the pupils. Do Her Majesty's Government subscribe to that view? I would also ask whether boys in the school can go about as they will—indeed, I think the noble Lord has already said that such is the case.
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, I have not said that the boys can go about at will. In fact, the village is entirely out of bounds. They are allowed to go out, with passes, on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 2 till 5, or, exceptionally, till a later hour on the same days, or other days, if they are accompanied by adults; but otherwise the village is quite out of bounds.
With regard to the implication mentioned by the noble Lord, I question whether there is that implication in the article, but in any case I would make it quite clear that my Department condemns delinqency, whether it emanates from Kneesworth Hall, Eton or any other school.
LORD SALTOUNMy Lords, there are just two further questions that I should like to put to the noble Lord. When he has made more progress in his inquiry will he let me know, so that I may return to the subject again? Secondly, can he give us any information about the statement in the article that the police, having evidence against these boys, forbore to prosecute them; and if that is so, what was the reason?
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, we have already asked the Chief Constables of Hertfordshire and of Mid-Anglia, and also the school managers, for reports. When we have considered these, together with the views of local authorities and residents, we will consider what further steps should be taken and I will let the noble Lord know.
§ LORD DERWENTMy Lords, as there has been considerable disquiet about this particular school (I do not expect the noble Lord to be able to answer now), will he ask the Home Secretary, when he has made his inquiries, if he will see whether there is any possibility of making a public statement, because the disquiet has spread rather wide?
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, I was not aware that there was very wide disquiet about this school. Certainly we do not take the matter lightly. We are inquiring into it urgently, and if it is necessary to make a statement, one will be issued.