§ Mr. Staintonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the Association of Magisterial Officers, particularly the East Anglian branch, questioning the proposed loss of power to remand girls aged 15 or 16 years to prison department establishments, in view of the fact that during 1977 the courts in East Anglia were not able to find other secure accommodation in five cases of certified unruly girls; and what repy he has given.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesI have received representations from the Association of Magisterial Officers and, through hon. Members, from nine branches of the Association, including East Anglia. In reply I have stated that the phasing out of remands of juveniles to prison department establishments is in accordance with the undertaking given by the Government in response to the first recommendation of the Eleventh Report of the Expenditure Committee—Cmnd. 6494; that the number of girls involved is small—119 certificates of unruliness were issued between January and October 1978; and that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services is satisfied that local authorities have the capacity to cope with this additional responsibility. I understand that six secure places for girls are under constuction in East Anglia and that, at present, satisfactory inter-regional arrangements exist for the placement of girls on remand.