§ 19. Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider extending the Community Service Scheme to offenders aged 14 to 16 years.
§ Mr. JohnWe do not entirely rule out this possibility for the future; but the proposal presents problems of both policy and resources, and, for the present, priority must be given to extending and consolidating the existing schemes for offenders aged 17 and above. Moreover, schemes of intermediate treatment578W under the Children and Young Persons Act 1969 can and do already provide for work of service to the community, which it is the Government's policy to encourage.