§ 70. Dame Irene Wardasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what study he has made of the foreword by the Secretary to the Newcastle-on-Tyne Probation Committee to their Annual Report for 1962, a copy of which has been sent to him, drawing attention to the failure to provide increased approved school places and to provide a junior detention centre; and if he will announce a firm date for action.
§ Miss PikeThe foreword makes the point that pressure on the probation service in the area would be less if more places were available in various institutions for offenders. The increase in delinquency during recent years has created difficult problems of accommodation, but we are doing our best to solve them. Since the beginning of 1961, there has been a net increase of about 450 approved school places and another 400 are expected by the end of this year. My right hon. Friend is not at present 177W able to say when a junior detention centre will be available to the courts in Newcastle, but the construction of a remand centre for an area that will include Newcastle is about to start.