§ Mr. Robert McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many residents of the Rathgael centre in Bangor left without permission in each month of 1995; and how many were(a) charged and (b) cautioned with offences committed while out of bounds. [18526]
§ Sir John WheelerRathgael is an "open" training school and the information requested about those absent without leave is as follows:
1995 Care1 Offenders Total January 19 16 35 February 20 16 36 March 29 22 51 April 24 12 36 May 19 15 34 June 29 16 45 July 25 24 49 August 25 15 40 September 12 14 26 October 23 21 44 November 23 19 42 December 19 24 43 1 Residents requiring care, protection or control are accommodated separately from those given a training school order following a finding of guilt of a criminal offence. A total of 70 children who absconded from Rathgael in 1995 were charged with offences. Of these, 15 were there for care reasons and 55 for offending.
A total of nine children who absconded from Rathgael in 1995 received a caution. Of these, eight were there for care reasons and one for offending.