§ Mr. KIRKWOODasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take into consideration the advisability of issuing an instruction to all magistrates in Scotland to apply the Probation of Offenders Act to all first offenders charged with minor offences; how many probation 2977W officers have been appointed in Glasgow; and what has been the effect of the probation system since they were appointed?
§ Sir G. COLLINSI have no power to issue instructions to magistrates. The desirability of avoiding short sentences of imprisonment, particularly where young persons and first offenders are involved, was emphasised in a. Scottish Office Circular issued in December, 1931, to clerks of the peace and clerks to police courts, but the matter is of course one in which courts must exercise their discretion in individual cases. Nine full-time male, and seven full-time female, probation officers have been appointed in Glasgow under the Probation of Offenders (Scotland) Act, 1931. Probation is extensively used in Glasgow, 1,360 persons being on probaton on 30th June. The foundations of an effective probation system under the 1931 Act appear to have been laid, but it is too early to generalise about results.