Member

Are there statistics on how many children and young people under 21 have been convicted of these offences? The noble Lord, Lord Ponsonby, raised this point in a challenge to me. The evidence I have is the evidence of my own eyes and the questions I asked at that particular magistrates’ court. There were 40 or 50 young people queuing up that morning, charged with exactly that offence, and apparently it was a weekly occurrence at least. I would be most grateful if the Government could give any statistics on how many young people under 21 are convicted of that railways offence under the 1889 Act.