§ Mr. BUCHANANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the difference in the number of youths below 21 arrested and charged with offences as between the two neighbouring districts of Queen's Park and Southern Courts, he has caused any inquiry to be made into the reasons for the difference; and, if so, can he state the reasons?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI have made inquiry, and am informed that the prevalence of offences by youths between the ages of982W 16 and 21 in the Southern Police Division, as compared with the Queen's Park Division, may be attributed to various causes, including the relatively dense population in the former division, difficulty in obtaining employment, limited facilities for recreation, and lack of parental control. A considerable proportion of the offenders commit minor offences and are sentenced to small fines or dismissed with admonitions.