§ Captain Pluggeasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the escape of boys from Borstal, he will intensify supervision and restrict freedom of movement.
§ Mr. H. MorrisonAs my hon. and gallant Friend will be aware, certain steps were taken last year with the object of reducing the number of escapes from the Borstal Institution at Rochester. Although the number of inmates during the first nine months of this year is higher than that for the corresponding period last year, the number of escapes during this period was very much less than the number during the corresponding period last year. I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that every effort is being, and will continue to be, made to reduce to a minimum the number of escapes, but there are, of course, limits to the steps that can be taken by way of supervision and restriction of movement, both because of the nature of the training itself and because of the present reduction in the supervisory staff of the institution.