§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the total costs per annum to public funds of keeping delinquent children in residential homes and other detention centres; and if he is satisfied with the present system.
§ Sir George YoungI have been asked to reply.
In the year ending 31 March 1979 the cost to local authorities in England of maintaining juveniles aged 16 and under in community homes was £166.9 million, exclusive of administrative and 656W field social work costs. It is not known what proportion of juveniles so accommodated had committed criminal offences. The cost of youth treatment centres was £0.77 million over the same period, but the cost of maintaining juveniles in prison department establishments cannot be separately identified. It is not satisfactory that so many juveniles should be sent to residential institutions of one kind or another and the Government strongly support the development of intermediate treatment, special fostering and other community-based alternatives.