§ Mr. KINGasked the Secretary for Scotland how many persons of the ages of 16, 17, and 18 years were in Scotland committed 1644W to prison in default of payment of fines in 1914?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe figures are as follows:—
Males. Females. 16 years and under 17 … 110 9 17 years and under 18 … 175 27 18 years and under 19 … 233 67
§ Mr. KINGasked how many young persons within the meaning of the Children Act, 1908, were in 1914 received into prisons in Scotland either upon an adjournment of the proceedings or upon committal for trial?
§ Mr. KINGasked how many male and female persons now undergoing penal servitude in Scotland for offences other than murder have been so kept for five years or longer but less than seven years, for seven years or longer but less than ten years, and for ten years or longer, respectively?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe numbers are as follows:—
These figures do not include persons detained as insane in the Criminal Lunatic Department or undergoing preventive detention.
5 years and under 7. 7 years and under 10. 10 years and upwards. Total. Males … 16 6 2 24 Females … — — — —
§ Mr. KINGasked the Secretary for Scotland whether, in view of there being nearly 900 boys and girls, over fifteen but under nineteen years of age, who were received in 1914 into Scottish prisons (apart from Borstal institutions), he will, with the object of reducing the number of youthful criminals, either introduce legislation or take other steps to restrict the action of the Scottish Courts which commit to prison so many youthful offenders?
Mr. McKINNON WOODI cannot undertake legislation on this subject at present, the more so as the Criminal Justice Administration Act, 1914, has recently come into force and may be expected to have a beneficial influence on the action of the Courts. I entirely sympathise with my hon. Friend's desire to reduce the number of juvenile offenders committed to prison, and shall take any 1645W steps short of legislation in the matter which seem advisable.
§ Mr. KINGasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many male and female persons now undergoing penal servitude in England and Wales for offences other than murder have been so kept for five years or longer but less than seven years, for seven years or longer but less than ten years, and for ten years or longer?
§ Sir J. SIMONA general Return of the length of sentences of persons now undergoing penal servitude is given in Appendix No. 7 of the last Report of the Directors of Convict Prisons. I cannot ask the Prison Department in present circumstances to undertake the labour of preparing further Returns.
§ Mr. KINGasked how many persons of the ages of 16, 17, and 18 years were in England and Wales committed to prison in default of payment of fines in 1914?
§ Sir J. SIMONThere is no information available giving the exact particulars asked for; but during the year ended 31st March, 1914, 5,878 male prisoners between the ages of 16 and 21 were committed to prison on conviction, of whom 2,549 were committed in default of payment of fine.
§ Mr. KINGasked if he will state in a form corresponding, as nearly as may be, to Appendix XII. to the Annual Report of the Commissioners for Scotland (page 23 f), what and how many punishments were inflicted in each prison and Borstal institution in England and Wales in 1914?
§ Sir J. SIMONThe nature and number of punishments inflicted in each prison and Borstal institution are funished yearly in the Annual Reports of the Prison Commissioners. The Returns for 1913–14 will be found at page 70 of the last Report of the Commissioners.
§ Mr. KINGasked how many female persons are now undergoing penal servitude in England and Wales under commuted sentences of death pronounced for the murder of their children under the age of six months; and whether any such female person has been kept in penal servitude for a period exceeding three years?
§ Sir J. SIMONThree females are now undergoing such sentences for the offence named. None has been in penal servitude for a period exceeding three years.