§ Mr. RHYSasked the Home Secretary what date he proposes to fix for the coming into operation of the Children and Young Persons Act?
§ Sir J. GILMOURAs I explained last February in reply to a question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Blackley (Mr. Lees-Jones), it was decided to postpone the bringing into force of the Children and Young Persons Act, 1932, with a view to the passing of a Consolidation Bill, arid though this would mean a short delay, I intended to bring the new legislation into force before the Summer Recess. The Consolidation Bill, as my hon. Friend is aware, has now been passed. I had hoped that it might be possible to fix 1st July for bringing it into operation, but I have received representations from the local authorities primarily concerned with the administration of the new Act that it would be very inconvenient to them if these provisions, which involve many changes in detail, were to take effect at the beginning of the holiday period. In consideration of these representations, I propose in due course to fix 1st November next.