§ Mr. McGovernasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his attention has been drawn to the recent sentences in Airdrie Sheriff Court where three boys, one of whom was only nine years of age, were sentenced to be birched; and whether he will take steps to abolish this growing form of punishment?
§ Mr. ElliotThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The sentence of birching was not carried out in the case of the boy of nine years of age in view of the certificate of the police surgeon. With regard to the second part, the whole question of corporal punishment is at present under investigation by a committee which was appointed in May last by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and myself.