To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding current measures to deal with persistent juvenile offenders.

Representations have been received from a wide range of agencies and individuals. Since 2 March 1993, when my right hon. and learned Friend, the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr. Clarke), made his statement at columns 139–42 in which, inter alia, he outlined the Government's proposals for a new secure training order, most representations have agreed with the Government's conclusion that the existing arrangements are unsatisfactory and have given general support to the new measures which we have proposed.