§ Mr. Roseasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice is currently being given to magistrates' courts concerning the remanding in custody of persons charged with offences for the purpose of medical, psychiatric or social inquiry reports; and what figures are available nationally in connection with this practice during 1971.
§ Mr. CarlisleMagistrates' courts were informed in May, 1971, of administrative measures designed to reduce to a minimum the time for which persons found guilty of offences are held in custody for the purpose of obtaining such reports; and arrangements have been made for some medical examinations to be conducted at Holloway Prison on an outpatient basis. No figures for 1971 are available; remands in custody for mental observation or state of health reports in 1970 amounted to 14,232.
§ Mr. Roseasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been remanded in custody 276W pending social inquiry, medical and psychiatric reports by Tottenham Magistrates' Court since 1970; and how many of these were subsequently sentenced to periods of imprisonment.
§ Mr. CarlisleI regret that this information could not be made available without disproportionate effort.