§ Mr. HALL-CAINEasked the Minister of Health whether he has any information as to whether there has been any increase during recent months in the number of young vagrants; and whether any special action is being taken to treat these individuals as a special class?
§ Mr. SHAKESPEAREThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards the second part, the Departmental Committee on the Relief of the Casual Poor, while endorsing the desirability of segregating young casuals from habitual vagrants during their stay in a casual ward, recognised the practical difficulties, which my right hon. Friend is afraid must often be insuperable. Apart from any action of this kind, the vagrancy authorities, and a number of philanthropic agencies, are fully aware of the problem presented by these young vagrants, and are doing their1694W best to persuade or assist them. to abandon vagrancy.