§ 53. Mr. Deedesasked the Secretary of States for the Home Department whether he has now received the Report of the Inquiry into the disturbances at Carlton Approved School; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerYes, and copies are now available in the Vote Office. I should like to take this opportunity of52W expressing to Mr. Durand my warm appreciation of the careful and helpful manner in which he discharged the task which he undertook at my request and of the constructive recommendations which he has made.
As hon. Members will see from the Report, Mr. Durand divides these recommendations into three categories—general recommendations requiring legislation, including amendment of rules; general recommendations not requiring legislation; and recommendations specific to the Carlton School.
As regards the last mentioned, with which I am in general agreement, their implementation will, in the main, be a matter for the Managers. I am accordingly bringing them immediately to the notice of the Managers with a view to their discussion at an early date with my Department.
I am again in broad agreement with the general recommendations not requiring legislation—especially on the need for securing an adequate number of trained housemasters, and for pressing forward with plans for modernising and improving where necessary the accommodation in approved schools. I agree also with the view that a limited provision of secure facilities is necessary in order to deal with the minority of difficult and troublesome boys, whose disruptive influence on normal training is illustrated by what happened at Carlton School.
The proposals involving legislation present greater difficulty, and require consideration in relation both to the legislation about the treatment of young offenders which was foreshadowed in the Gracious Speech, and to the wider questions affecting approved schools. The Ingleby Committee have also under consideration such aspects of these questions as fall within their terms of reference. I should thus prefer to defer further comment on the specific proposals for amending legislation for the time being until I have considered them in relation to my suggestions in the White Paper of February, 1959. The House will, I am sure, wish me to make comprehensive proposals for the treatment of young offenders, even if this involves some delay in introducing the Bill which I have been preparing.