§ 39 and 49. Mr. Stanbrookasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what steps he has taken, following disclosures made at a recent criminal trial concerning the St. Christopher Fellowship hostel at De Crespigny Park, Camberwell, to tighten the system of control over children's homes run by voluntary organisations ;
(2) whether he will cause an inquiry to be made into the well-being of all children living in homes run by the St. Christopher's Fellowship with a view to preventing a repetition elsewhere of the lack of control over children and unlawful activity by the staff found recently to exist at their De Crespigny Park boys' hostel.
§ Sir K. JosephI have considered reports on this tragic case and reviewed the existing system of control. I do not think any further inquiry or modification of the law is called for. The Fellowship of St. Christopher itself closed this hostel in July, 1970, and has sold the premises. I am not aware of any ground for concern about other establishments run by this Fellowship.