HC Deb 06 March 1973 vol 852 cc217-8
11. Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress local authorities have made with the provision of secure accommodation for girls convicted of offences.

Sir K. Joseph

I understand the hon. Member to be concerned with girls between 14 and 17 who may temporarily be remanded to a prison or remand centre if the court certifies that the girl is too unruly to be safely committed to the care of a local authority. A considerable expansion of secure accommodation for girls is in hand or projected.

Mrs. Short

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that public opinion has been incensed at the cases which have occurred during the last year of girls of the age he mentioned being committed to Holloway prison? Is he also aware that the Home Secretary, in reply to a similar Question that I put to him on this matter recently, said that he could not guarantee that cases of this kind would not occur in future? What has the Secretary of State to say about the situation? Can he say when the accommodation which is being prepared is likely to be ready and available?

Sir K. Joseph

Some more accommodation will become increasingly available in the next two or three years. The hon. Lady is right to be concerned about this matter, and we are providing accommodation as soon as possible.

Mr. Burden

Is it not a fact that although the girl in question to whom I think the hon. Lady refers—

Mrs. Short

How can the hon. Gentleman know what I have in mind?

Mr. Burden

—was committed to Holloway prison, she was not accepted at the prison when she arrived?

Sir K. Joseph

I am sure my hon. Friend is right about that one case, but I believe that the hon. Lady had in mind a girl who was admitted to Holloway.

Mr. Callaghan

Has the Secretary of State in mind the case of a girl about whom I have been in communication with the Home Secretary—a girl who was convicted three years ago and who at a later stage will need to be transferred to another institution? Since it looks as though that girl may have to go to prison, is it not obvious that it is time we had secure accommodation for that type of girl?

Sir K. Joseph

It is agreed that we need more secure accommodation. More is now being built and more is projected.