§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the offences for which his Department's regulations permit the caning of young persons of less than 14 years of age, resident at remand homes.
§ Sir K. JosephDiscipline and punishment in remand homes are covered by Rules 13–17 of the Remand Home Rules 1939, which require that every effort should be made to enforce discipline without resort to corporal punishment. The rules do not specify what kind of punishment is appropriate for any particular kind of offence or make any distinction between punishments on the basis of age.
§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many young persons of under 14 years of age were punished by caning in remand homes during each year from 1966 to 1970, inclusive.
§ Sir K. JosephStatistics about the caning of boys in remand homes are not kept on an age basis; but the following table gives the number of boys of all ages to whom corporal punishment has been given in remand homes.
Year Number of boys caned Number of boys admitted to remand homes 1966 468 15,140 1967 252 13,643 1968 162 14,542 1969 200 15,208 1970 (January to September) 129 11,484 The Remand Homes Rules forbid corporal punishment of girls.
§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy on the caning of young persons of 216W 14 years of age and under resident at remand homes.
§ Sir K. JosephThe Remand Homes Rules, 1939, provide for the administration of corporal punishment for boys in remand homes, irrespective of age. Any general limitation of the circumstances of its use, over and above the restrictions imposed in the rules is a matter for the local authority providing the particular home.