§ Lord Actonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Jay of Paddington on 26 November 1997 (WA 123), how many additional secure places in local authority accommodation are planned to be made available in England and Wales during the years following 1998. [HL324]
§ The Minister of State, Department of Health (Baroness Jay of Paddington):The Government have instituted a review of the whole range of secure accommodation for young offenders and young people held on remand, including the local authority secure estate. The review is examining how to make better use of the existing and planned accommodation to ensure that provision is more consistent and coherent, and that regimes tackle criminality and meet the educational and other needs of these young people. The Government will be considering the outcome of the review, which is due to report shortly, when planning the implementation of these proposals. The review will help inform whether there should be a further expansion of the secure estate.