asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now publish the results of the examination by the Home Office of the use of social inquiry reports initiated by the letter of 23rd February 1973 from his Department to certain probation and after-care committees ; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend does not consider that the detailed results of the examination of the use of social inquiry reports are in a form suitable for publication, but he intends to make a summary available to interested organisations and I shall be writing to the right hon. Member about this. In the light of this examination my right hon. Friend has decided that it is not at present necessary or desirable to make rules under Section 57 of the Criminal Justice Act 1967.