§ Mr. HORNIMANasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the fact that on 22nd June the chairman at the County of London Sessions expressed the opinion that John Burrell, aged 17, William Chown, 18, and Joseph Pritchard, 17, were prisoners who would greatly benefit by being detained under the Borstal system, but that, owing to the Prison Commissoners having declined to certify them for the same, the chairman, with regret, sentenced each to nine months' imprisonment, although in his opinion it was useless, and the worst thing that could happen; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?
§ Mr. GLADSTONEI find on inquiry that Burrell was certified to be medically unfit for the hard manual training which is necessary at Borstal. In the other cases there appears to have been some misunderstanding with regard to the recommendations made by the prison authorities, but I may say that both prisoners will be treated under the modified Borstal system, which supplies, as far as circumstances permit, a training similar to that given at Borstal. Under the Prevention of Crime Act, which makes statutory provision for Borstal sentences, and which comes into force on 1st August next, there will, I hope, be no risk of a similar misunderstanding.