§ Mr. Robertsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what new proposals he has for dealing with the increase in juvenile crime in Scotland.
§ Mr. Harry EwingInitial indications from the crime statistics are that the increase in the number of children dealt with for crimes in each of the last few years may not have been maintained in 1975. I am concerned about the increase in crime generally and I had a useful meeting with senior police officers on 30th April at which we exchanged views about the trends disclosed in the crime statistics for 1975. Among the matters discussed 527W were the problems of resources and accommodation in the social work field and the powers of children's hearings. A consultative document on the powers of children's hearings has been circulated to interested bodies for comments and the replies are being considered now.