§ Mr. Wheelerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to extend the tougher regimes pilot project and to make changes in accommodation in detention centres.
§ Mr. MayhewMy right hon. Friend proposes to introduce the pilot project at Foston Hall junior detention centre in Derbyshire and Haslar senior detention centre in Hampshire on or soon after 7 September 1981. From that date the centres will take only trainees who are sentenced initially to three months' detention. To prepare the way for this, revised committal areas for detention centres are to be introduced with effect from 6 July 1981. The committal areas will also reflect the introduction of additional accommodation which my right hon. Friend announced on 23 March for senior detention centre trainees at the borstal and detention centre at Hollesley Bay in Suffolk and at Guys Marsh borstal in Dorset and the conversion of the senior detention centre at Blantyre House in Kent to accommodate junior trainees. This accommodation will be available to receive trainees from courts from 6 July 1981.
As a result of these changes there will be some significant alterations in the catchment areas from which detention centres accept committals. A circular will shortly be issued to courts informing them of the changes and setting out the revised committal areas. We will place a copy of the circular in the Library.