§ 23. Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many 14-year-old boys were on remand (a) in remand centres, and (b) in local prisons at the latest available date; and what steps he is taking to end the remand of 14-year-old boys.
§ Mr. JohnOn 31st December there were nine boys aged 14 on remand centres in England and Wales, and none in local prisons. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I are anxious to make further progress towards phasing out remands of juveniles to Prison Department establishments; and discussions with local authorities will continue.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) girls aged 14 to 16 years and (b) boys aged 14 to 16 years passed through Prison Service establishments in the last year for which figures are available.
§ Mr. JohnThe following table shows the numbers of females and males finally discharged from Prison Service establishments in 1976 who at the time of their reception into custody had been between the ages of 14 and 16.
PERSONS AGED 14 TO 16 AT TIME OF RECEPTION WHO WERE DISCHARGED FROM PRISON SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS IN 1976 Following a remand in custody Having served a sentence Males … 1,747 6,674 Females … 245 111 A very small number of persons who were received on separate occasions on different charges are counted more than once in this table.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) boys aged 14 to 16 years and (b) girls aged 14 to 16 years were in prisons and remand centres at the latest available date.
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§ Mr. JohnThe information requested is given in the following table:
PERSONS AGED 14–16 YEARS IN CUSTODY ON 31ST DECEMBER 1976 Males Females Remand centres 281 13 Local prisons 24 9 Young prisoner establishments 16 —