§ Mr. LOVAT-FRASERasked the Home Secretary whether he has taken any action with the object of drawing the attention of magistrates to the illegality of combining the punishment of children by birching with the placing of them on probation?
§ Mr. CLYNESI have no authority to express an opinion as to the legality of ordering a child to be birched and also to be put on probation, but, as stated last year in reply to a question put by my hon. Friend, I have no doubt that it is contrary to the intention of the Probation of Offenders Act. The Young Offenders' Committee made a definite recommendation (with which I entirely agree) that whipping should not be associated with any other form of treatment, and in a circular issued in September, 1927, the recommendations of this committee were brought to the notice of all2422W courts. The Home Office has expressed the same view in correspondence with clerks to justices and at conferences with magistrates. I am calling the attention of magistrates to the matter in a further circular letter which will be issued shortly.