§ Mr. Dellasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will place in the Library of the House of Commons a copy of the consultative document which he is sending to a number of probation and after-care committees 392W about the extent to which social inquiry reports are obtained; whether he will list the committees to which the document is being sent; and if he will state the date on which it is being issued.
§ Mr. CarlisleI expect that this consultative document will be sent out by the end of the month. I will place a copy in the Library when it is issued together with a list of the committees to which it is sent.
§ Mr. Dellasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what proportion of cases, in the inner London area and elsewhere separately, the November 1970 sample of offenders showed that a social inquiry report was considered by magistrates before imposing a sentence of detention in a detention centre on offenders aged 17 years and over.
§ Mr. CarlisleSocial inquiry reports were obtained by magistrates' courts in the inner London area in 94 per cent. of such cases in the November 1970 sample. Outside this area the figure was 82 per cent.