§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Don Valley on 29 January,Official Report, column 455, when the branding of vagrants was abolished from the Justices of the Peace Act 1361; what sections of this Act are still in force; and if he has any plans to bring in new legislation within this Act.
§ Mr. John PattenOn the first part of the question, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 29 January at column455. As to the remainder, the Justices of the Peace Act 1361 is not organised into sections. The extant power from the 1361 Act is for magistrates to make binding-over orders. We have no present plans for legislation in this area.