asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many juveniles who have been in custody or on remand have subsequently been found (a) to be not guilty, (b) have had the case against them dismissed, and (c) had the charges dropped, in the last year for which figures are available.

In total, 56 in 1973. It is not possible to subdivide this figure into the three categories requested as the distinctions between them are not clear-cut. I would refer my hon. Friend to Table 7 of the Report on the Work of the Prison Department 1973 (Statistical Tables) published as Cmnd. 5814.