§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those recommendations of the Finer Report (a) that he has implemented (b) those not yet implemented but which he proposes to implement and indicate when, and (c) those he does not intend to implement; and if he will state his reasons.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsThe reforms of matrimonial law and practice mentioned in Recommendation 41 are acceptable in principle and I will consider these further when I receive the Law Commission's report on matrimonial proceedings in magistrates' courts.
I am still considering Recommendations 1 and 2—that distress and the threat of imprisonment should cease to be available as methods of enforcement of maintenance orders.
Recommendation 52 has been implemented with effect from publication of the 1974 volume of the Criminal Statistics. I accept the principle of Recommendation 53—that a new statistical system should be devised—and further consideration will be given to the question of statistics of domestic proceedings in magistrates' courts when the Law Commission's report on matrimonial proceedings in magistrates' courts is received.
As regards Recommendation 224, the Community Relations Commission is undertaking a study of the special social needs of ethnic minority groups.
Recommendation 225, relating to the expansion of facilities for young children to remain with their mothers in prison, is 501W in course of implementation. A new mother and baby unit will open at Askham Grange later this month.