§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy in respect of the detention of youths aged 15 to 17 years within adult prisons. [20679]
§ Ms QuinThe Government's policy is to accommodate offenders under 18 sentenced to Detention in young offender institutions. Exceptionally, they may be accommodated in prison on an individual and temporary basis. Most unsentenced young offenders aged under 18 are held in specialised remand facilities alongside young offender institutions but some are accommodated separately from adults in adult prisons. The Prison Service is currently considering the setting up of establishments for male juveniles only.
The Government are reviewing the juvenile secure estate as part of the comprehensive spending review.